Image:Wikimedia
‘Any number is a limit, and perfection doesn’t have limits. Perfect speed, my son, is being there.’
Image: Wikimedia
‘Most gulls don’t bother to learn more than the simplest facts of flight — how to get from shore to food and back again.’
Image: Wikimedia
‘The gulls who scorn perfection for the sake of travel go nowhere, slowly. Those who put aside travel for the sake of perfection go anywhere, instantly.’
It’s been awhile since thinking about things – and people. I’ve read Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach three times. I’ve bought the book three times and gave it away as pressies – three times! But, this entry is not about the book. It’s more about morals, what we value in life, what we do, believe, think, It’s not that difficult. There are more things in life that’s a lot more complicated to understand. Yes, I’ve been thinking about these quotes of Richard Bach in his book. Why is it so difficult for many people to understand it? Are you really happy with your life the way it is? Are you really happy with: ‘can’t be bothered?‘ Are you really happy with a ‘satisfactory’ or a ‘good/OK’? Are you happy to know just what you need to know – for now? Why not be happy with ‘the best’? Why not interested in what’s going on in the whole wide world, instead of the ‘small world’ that surrounds you? [your country or your town/city/village] Give your best when you can. Do your best in life. Strife for the best. Don’t be just happy with 2+1=3, but ask yourself why it is 3. Ask questions, get answers. Don’t just do what you need to do, why not doing a bit more than you actually should? Let’s be more than just a subsistence farmer –when it comes to doing our bit. I will spend more time just thinking about things – and people – and these quotes.
More quotes by Bach from his book:
We can lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill.
Jonathan Seagull discovered that boredom and fear and anger are the reasons that a gull’s life is so short, and with these gone from his thoughts, he lived a long fine life indeed.
The gull sees farthest who flies highest.
Don’t believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding.
But the speed was power, and the speed was joy, and the speed was pure beauty.
If our friendship depends on things like space and time, then when we finally overcome space and time, we’ve destroyed our own brotherhood! But overcome space, and all we have left is Here. Overcome time, and all we have left is Now. And in the middle of Here and Now, don’t you think that we might see each other once or twice?
You will begin to touch heaven, Jonathan, in the moment that you touch perfect speed. And that isn’t flying a thousand miles an hour, or a million, or flying at the speed of light. Because any number is a limit, and perfection doesn’t have limits. Perfect speed, my son, is being there.
“The only true law is that which leads to freedom,” Jonathan said. “There is no other.”
“Such promises are only for the gulls that accept the ordinary. One who has touched excellence in his learning has no need of that kind of promise.”
I think only if you’ve read the book, the next video will make ‘sense’ to you.
Whilst I’m with Neil Diamond too, enjoy this next song. One of my favourites.