Take a deep dive

 A midlife crisis is an ugly wake-up call. It’s the realization that the treadmill we were on never leads to a destination. The projection into job, promotion, fame, marriage, children. Nothing gives the happiness one expected in the future. After this realization that it was all a house of cards, what to do next?

 

A spiritual quest sometimes begins after we have run into a wall. We get excited again. This teacher seems to know what he is talking about. Let’s follow him. Let’s read his book one more time, we must have missed something the first time around. Even better, let’s buy his new book.

 

A number of friends search for enlightenment. Actually, there are still better off than those who feel that they already are, even though they wouldn’t admit it. The friends who impress me the most are the ones who accept their flaws but otherwise enjoy living in the present.

 

The moment the concept “enlightenment” crosses your mind a mid-life crisis awaits you. It’s the same thing really. It’s a belief in a better future, just like the workaholic who thinks his next promotion will give him happiness or the actress who thinks her next big role will make her happy.

 

What then is the answer? Well, sit with the boredom, the loneliness, the restlessness, the greed, the fear, and see what happens. The here and now is complete and contains everything we ever aspired or wanted. All it takes is a deep dive into the light.