Heroes Not Zombies

Yes, you read that right – a 3 E Life – not a 3 D one!

I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting these last few months, not least because a diagnosis I received last summer has made me more acutely aware of both mortality and the vulnerability of Life.

What I’ve come up with feels very important to me and I don’t know if it would be good for you as well, but I decided I’d share it and then you can decide for yourself.

I started with the age old questions – what am I here for? and what makes a “good life”?

I reckon every one of us will come up with our own answers to those questions but here’s mine – they are both answered by paying attention to three actions every day – Exploring, Enjoying and Expressing.

Exploring. I have always been curious, I love to learn, to discover, to deepen my understanding of others and myself. I love to travel to see other places, see how other people live. I read A LOT, both non fiction and fiction. When I was at work my greatest delight was learning more and more about each of my patients. People fascinate me. I’m astonished by Nature pretty much every day. The plant world and birds especially fascinate me. I love art – music, painting, sculpture, photography, literature, poetry, cinema.

Enjoying. I think every experience should be engaged with, paid attention to. I love to slow down and really see, really hear, really smell, taste, touch. “Savour the Day” works better for me than “Seize the Day”. Every day is full of experiences and events to be relished, to be amazed by, to be enjoyed. I love the French saying “l’émerveillement du quotidien”, I love “forest bathing”, I love to immerse myself in the here and now.

Expressing. I think we create change all the time. Just by living we change the environment, the planet. What we do, say, write, affects others. Everything we do ripples out across the world, and I think every one of us is unique. Only I can share with the world what it’s like to be me. Only I can radiate out the emotions and thoughts I have. And only you can share yours. I think we are all here to share our experiences and creativity with each other. For me this mostly takes the form of the photos I take and the words I write as I reflect on them. You’ll have your own ways.

But there’s something else I want to add beyond the 3 Es and that’s LOVE. It’s loving attention which creates both a better world and a good life. It’s the love given and received that makes every day so good.

So, I hope to practise my 3 Es every day – explore, enjoy, express – always from my heart, always in love.