I was sitting, meditating, upon the sand at dawn. Early morning. No one nearby. I was seated ramrod straight. Eyes barely open. My loose, blurred focus resting upon the line of frothing, folding waves crashing at the edge of the sea. There was no one in the water. Such peace. My mind was empty, as I simply measured my breathing: focusing on each inward breath and outward exhalation. Enjoying life. At peace with simply being alive… Suddenly, I saw a splash far out beyond the outer waves. And then another. And another still. Deliberately breaking my meditation, I brought my old eyes into slow focus to squint and try and see what was happening out there far beyond the last waves. An arm! And again an arm! It’s a swimmer! It’s someone coming in alone from way out at sea! Wow! I watched as the lone swimmer drew closer, angling for the sand just north of where I sat. Soon the arms were turning at the outer breakers and then the swimmer paused for a bit before trying and successfully catching a big wave, gliding easily within the wave, riding the wave through the surf zone, right up to the edge of the sand. And then she stood up. It was a woman! A beautiful young woman, maybe twenty years old. “A mermaid!” I smiled and said aloud for no one to hear. The young woman emerged fully from the sea and paced quickly up to lifeguard tower 18, climbed the ladder, opened the door and went inside. Ten minutes later she emerged, having changed her bikini for a red one-piece bathing suit. She’s not a mermaid, but a lifeguard (or maybe both?) arriving for work at dawn from her home out there in the sea. The young woman lifeguard got her tower all set up, opening all the windows, setting out her red rescue float, and putting up an American flag which began waving gently in the light on-shore breeze. She was ready for the day. And she was the first lifeguard on duty, as all of the other lifeguard stations up and down the beach were still empty. I wonder if the City of Huntington Beach knows that one of their female lifeguards this year is really a beautiful mermaid from the sea? One who arrives at dawn before the others, alone, from far out in the ocean to join us, and to protect us, and to enchant us all at the edge of the sea.
☀️ THE GOOD LIFE CREED ☀️
The Good Life Meditation serves as a daily compass, orienting me towards personal objectives and principles essential for a purposeful existence within an indifferent universe. Further your understanding of The Good Life by visiting my website, GoingAlone.org, or delve into my book Going Alone—hardcover recommended. Get a signed copy here. 📚✍️
🎯 OBJECTIVES: 1. Be Always Ready to Die ☠️ 2. Make Good Use of Time and Resources ⏳🛠️ 3. Develop Good and Sound Life Principles 📜🦉 4. Cultivate Good Emotional Reactions 😌💡 5. Perform Good Actions 🤝✅ 6. Recognize True Limits and Opportunity 🚪🔍 7. One Thing Slowly 🐢🧘♂️
8. Maintain Balance ⚖️
📜 PRINCIPLES: 1. Principle of War ⚔️ 2. Principle of Reason 🧠 3. Homunculus 👤 4. Anchorhold ⚓ 5. Home of Good and Evil 😇😈 6. Principle of Purpose 🎯 7. Atomic Principle ⚛️ 8. Principle of Nature 🌳 9. The Pirate Ride 🏴☠️ 10. Principle of Maturity 🌱➡️🌳 11. Social Principle 🤝
12. Principle of Family 👨👩👧 13. Public Speaking 🗣️ 14. Temperance 🍷➡️💧 15. Life Will Not Go Well ⛈️ 16. The Horror Show 🎭😱 17. That Which Must Be Borne 🎒 18. The Feast of Offal 🗑️🍽️ 19. Distraction 📵 20. Agency and The Great Indifference ⚙️🌌 21. The Best Seat in the House 🛋️ 22. The Restless Man 👣 23. The Path of Wildness 🌲🛤️ 24. The Great Life Adventure 🗺️ 25. The Risk of Avoiding Risk 🎲 26. Sin and Damnation 😈🔥 27. Complete Oblivion 🕳️ 28. The Season of Philosophy 📚
29. Scriptwriting 🖋️📜 30. Bullseye Aim 🎯 31. The Uphill Climb ⛰️ 32. Arena and Utility 🏟️🔧 33. Nothing IS enough 0️⃣ 34. The Principle of Fun 🎉
35. Being Ready 🚀
🌄📚🚶♂️ Kurt Bell is a passionate explorer, dedicated family man, and author of books such as "Going Alone" and "No More Looking Out For Number One." Born in America in 1964, he integrates Stoic philosophy into his physical and philosophical journeys. Today's venture on The Path of Wildness embodies this harmonious blend of exploration and mindful living. While Kurt savors these moments and looks forward to future adventures, he remains ever prepared for life's end, ready to depart without a single backwards glance.
🌐 Website: https://goingalone.org
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/softypapa
📧 Email: dinnerbytheriver@gmail.com
👍 Support my endeavors on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/softypapa
My name is Kurt Bell
Learn more about The Good Life in my book Going Alone
Be safe... But not too safe.