Nothing is ever really what it seems in the moment. Only in the after-thought do we begin to recognize that our reality ...may not be what is actual.

We all have a tendency to take things for granted at times. And then there are times when we are forced to recognize the things, or, the people ...that we cannot live without. Those are the times ....when reality truly sets in.

Some people, ...you think they will live forever. And then they die, and it changes your whole perspective. Some people, ....you think they will be there forever. And then they move away, and once again, it changes your entire perspective. The human species is by far .....the lonliest creature on the planet.

It would seem to be the most kindhearted, gentle, loving, caring people ...who suffer the most debilitating and agonizing torment, pain, grief, and hardship. Life ...is out of balance.

I am sorry ...that I have been losing ....my sense of humor.

A bird, locked in a cage for most of it's life, will become conditioned to the cage. It gazes outward beyond the bars for the need of stimulation and adventure. But when the cage door is opened, ...it will not come out for fear of the big bad world. I try to look to the little things - to bring some measure of comfort to my life. For some reason, big things ...seem to frighten me.

Dreams ...are so much better than reality. Because there seems to be some sort of a limit to how much joy a person can have at any one given moment ...in real life. But, in actuality, the amount of pain, torment, and agony that a person can experience, be it physical, spiritual, or emotional, ....appears to be .....infinite.

Life ...really is ....out of balance.

Life is a matter of perspective. And everyone's perspective is different from another. It's how you view and react to things/experiences/people at any given moment in time. Your reality is guided by your mindset, your mindset is influenced by the life you've lived and the life you live is accomidated by your environment.
I like your post sir, it's really deep and there's alot of truth to it. This world is out of control, and I'm still trying to find my place in it.....

Hi again JoJoDancer63 & regards to fellow contributors. JoJoDancer63 that is a very thought provoking post.

Typically, insofar as life-outlook is concerned, I have read/heard discussed issues related to Reality in juxtaposition with Perception. But here in response to your invite that we explore a 'contention' betwixt Reality & Actuality, my brain is sorta like stalling with the key in the ignition. My limitation I know, but I do so enjoy thought provoking posts.

I think it is posited that one component of perception emanates from within the individual and it is then projected outward. The stuff that makes up this inner outlook is darned complicated and may well be tweaked here and there by life-experiences, cultural background blah bah blah.

And then arguably 'that which is real' can be distorted or enhanced by the kind of shades i am wearing today or I have been born with or 'choose' never to remove from in front of my eyes no matter what the state of the weather.

Is this like asking whether Reality is what you Perceive it to be? Or like asking whether the way you respond to Reality depends on how you Perceive it?

Based on my personality and feelings at the time of writing this I respond to some of what you have written by asking about the extent to which i am alive to & appreciative of this life as I live it. And later on I feel my mind exploring spiritual concepts such as Karma. And then what if the bird, while en-caged, spends ALL of its free time dreaming/visioning itself taking flight and broadening its horizons as soon as the door is is opened? It might be a specially weird sorta bird that bucks the trend but hey even we humankind note the trailblazers in our midst.

And before I go, there suddenly popped into my mind something that I grew fond of reminding myself and fellow life-students of back in the days when i lead/taught - I prefer to say shared my experiences - during workshops focussed on positive thinking, self management etc etc. It was this:

"Do you really accept that you are thee STAR in your very on life story. Aint nobody else in the whole wide world has been born to play the role that YOU have taken life in order to enact."

We all see them movie stars & how the sheeple go ape-**** to see them walk down some red-capet somewhere or another. I done confessed to NOT being dreadaye ... but for sure I am me. So brother, what sorta movie you starring in JoJo? And do you recognise your self to be the headline act?

As Blondey111 said really Beautiful post jojo :-) ....talking of dreaming, what was it that them Jackson boys sang? oh yeah, Tell Me I'm not Dreaming.

So JoJoDancer see what you gone and made go ooops upside this crazy head of mine?

Peace brother

PS: Did anyone notice the nod to Chaka Khan in the above? Music too can be an active ingredient in the way we perceive things

Thank you everybody.

May all living beings be released from suffering.

Well said JoJo,a very welcome addition to my reading pleasure on here.Dreams and imagination are quite wonderful if we open our minds

Perhaps life seems out of balance because you are focusing on the wrong things...Gaze at the stars and think of the universe....Help someone who needs it...Close your eyes and "feel" the music...Fix something that is broken...Write about someone you love because you are a magnificent writer....

Gazing out at the universe ...sometimes makes me feel ....insignificant. I used to write music. Now I just work. Fixing things ...is what I do for a living. Trouble is, ....it's always someone els's things, .....and rarely ever my own.

Thank you for taking the time to read and respond to my writing. That really means a lot to me and is very helpful in carrying me through the moment. It's about all I have right now ...to make me feel significant. Most of the people I have ever loved ...are now gone.

I am now trying to learn how to love ...everybody, ....with the hope that, maybe someday, .....somone will love me back. :)

That's what I mean JoJo!!...Why "Used to write music?"...Write a song, it will feel good...Make time to fix something of yours, it will feel good...Make a gift of the next small job you do for someone else, it will feel good...and this from Henry David Thoreau... "The universe is wider than our views of it."

Desiderata always makes me smile and feel good JoJo.If you haven't already,give it a read

That is very good advice. I only wish it were that simple. Most of what I do is charity. I live in one of the poorest counties in the state, so, along with my endeavor to earn a decent living, goes my unwillingness to add more pain to peoples problems.

I make money on about 4 out of 10 calls. All the rest I give away for nothing. And, the more I give away, the less I can keep. So, it's all about living within my means. But, I do pretty good.

I haven't written any music for over 2 years now. I think because I'm getting ...tired. I'm working to much (running away from my pain) ....and not having the kind of experiences that most humans require in order to draw the kind of inspiration that it takes to do .....that. And, my body is starting to give out, so playing the guitar takes it's toll.

I have been observing too much tragedy. Too many people taking the humaniy out of society. Not enough people putting it back in. I just want to leave this earth in better shape than I found it. And have it mean something to someone on more than just an impersonal level.

Where I live, I have become sort of a local celebrity. Only because in order to do what I do, people have to know that I am here when they need me. They can't call, if they don't know I'm here. However, as far as dating, ...it makes it very difficult to find someone close enough by to spend time with who is dynamic enough to want to be with a guy like me.

Most women do not feel comfortable in the spotlight. So I have to reach out of my cage to areas where there are people who are not so familiar with who I am, ...just in order to not ....frighten them away.

Yeah, .......that's it.

The phrase "it's lonely at the top" comes to mind. Funny. I never really knew what that meant ...until I started this company.