DRAWING A LIFE AS A CIRCLE

Being human, living a life, can be visualized by drawing a circle—a line with no beginning or end. The sense of time comes from motion. It's as if we are atoms in a nuclear particle accelerator, a huge circular tube, where we are being shot around in a circle. The faster we go the more we feel the speed, so the greater the thrill! Motion gives us the feeling that we’re alive; our hat blows off and we feel the wind in our hair. Sometimes, I tend to think if I’m not moving then I’m not alive. But that’s just not true. In fact, maybe it’s exactly the opposite. As crazy as it sounds, it might be that when we’re standing still is when we’re most alive. I think of the day I stopped and got off my bicycle just to feel the connectedness, the oneness, of everything around me. How much more alive can I get? And all while just standing beside my bike, perfectly still!

If someone runs faster, shouts louder, does more—does this make their circle bigger? More crowded maybe, but that’s about it. The size of the circle isn’t the point at all. What matters most is how we treat our circle…how we tend to it, care for it. How we deal with our own life is how we will deal with someone elses.

The way I see it is this: the important thing is to keep our circle clean, keep it simple. For myself, I strive to live life like I’m alone in the desert—to have a sense of space, a sense of calm. When I think of my life as a drawing, I choose to draw my circle with a pencil that slides easily on the paper. I have learned to use my whole arm when I draw; not just the hand, but the shoulder, even the whole body. I’m always amazed that when I simply lean into my drawing—remembering to breathe—I usually end up with a nearly perfect circle. Even if I don’t get it right the first time, the pencil keeps moving.