Faith,Fame,Fairness…..

My favorite Thoreau quote, made more popular due to,”Into The Wild,”  -”Rather than love, than money,than faith, than fame,than fairness…give me truth.” Dramatic?  Profound? Obtainable?  I believe so, however it takes discipline, practice, and sacrifice.  It takes the sacrifice of one’s ego,and a foundational belief of humility. Above His Shoulders is about truth, about disclosure, about freedom of the soul.

At a recent presentation, I felt very humbled as I received an awesome rating for the presentation by my audience. One comment was negative. They referred to my disclosure of my family, specifically parents, and my disclosure of my divorce as inappropriate. I laughed. My presentation is on the importance of honesty, the importance of disclosure and releasing the truth to set yourself free. One can only speculate what this person’s issues are. It does not matter. I feel honored that I was able to connect with over 85 percent of the audience in a favorable light.

Thoreau was able to c0nnect through nature and see himself and his role on earth for what nature has to offer. He had little use for man, enjoyed his solitude, and gave us a great deal to ponder. My own interpretation, which helps me put things in perspective, is if one is truthful and consistent then fairness, love, and faith follows. Money has long been over-rated. Money has caused more deaths, given more individuals false hopes, and prevented individuals from finding out who in the hell they really are. Money is used as a tool in divorce, a carrot for the illusion of success, and can be more lethal than any weapon. Of course it is nice to leave your job and afford a vacation to escape. The global impact of Capitalism has ruined more families and misguided more individuals than I can imagine. Land is being lost at an incredible rate. Trees are cut down, land is being developed, and as Cat Stevens once said, ” Where do our children play?”…..

The answer is not burning the greenback. I am not implying that I do not save or spend my fair share of the cash that comes in. I am only postulating a question. What would happen if we gave less importance to wealth? What would our lives be like if we viewed family time as more important than over-time? What would happen if we did not need the best looking car and enjoyed the best looking night sky with a few falling stars? What would happen if we gave our bonus to a needy family at holiday time trying to make sure they had a great meal?

The truth is we have strayed far from honest, truthful values. We have been conned by the illusion of  monetary gain, status, and monetary wealth. I have recently began to dump all of my materialistic items and I feel wealthier than I ever have been. Truth will set you free, however some people just may not be ready to handle the freedom.

Become a fan on facebook. See the photographs of the actual oak tree and the authors home, as well as a sneak peak at the new book. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Above-His-Shoulders/274131107309?ref=nf