Monads. . . Yes, it starts with an M

Yesterday I asked that you joined me in a short exercise, of going through your Facebook friends list and trying to recall something positive or a memory about each person - how he/she impacted your life, and/or what kind of roll they might have played (supporting actor, walk-on, grip) in the credit roll of the epic no-so-minisiries that is your life As a result, I de-friended 4 people (sounds cold, but they were people who became friends because we were in a Facebook group together, or their last name was Rossilli and they lived in Italy, and I had never, nor will probably ever meet them. I am sure, if they knew I de-friended them, they would not be too affected by it. . . .(well who knows, with what I'm about to discuss)

Anyway, I hope you took the time to do it, and it gave you a chance to reflect on the relationships in your life, past and present. When I do something like that, it makes me think about how I could have been and can still be a better person. How I could have been nicer and more compassionate in the past and will continue to work on being nicer and more compassionate each and every day.

That brings me to today's topic. MONADS. Yes, it does not start wit a G, so get your minds out of gutter, or your hands out of your pants, gentlemen. =)

I started my day, this morning, calling my parents to see if anyone had died yesterday. Pretty morbid, I know, but I will explain. . .

During my adulthood, on my birthday, twice, I have experienced the loss of a loved one. My Uncle Steve, who convinced me to stay in school instead of packing up my guitar and moving to Nashville to chase the "Neon Rainbow", and my Uncle Sal, who was one of the several uncles I had who was a teacher (and the one who did not try to talk me out of becoming one myself). Additionally, my brother and sister-in-law lost their aunt a couple years ago, which made me sad for them. She was a young woman.

After losing my uncles, I reflected on the words of Thomas Edison, which I often do. He believed that when you passed on, your life's essence exploded into millions of "monads" (atoms, simple pieces of energy) that would enter into those whose lives you had touched during your time on Earth, and those who will be impacted by the legacy that you leave behind. I never met Thomas Edison, Mister Rogers, Walt Disney, Harry Chapin, or Jim Henson, but I find myself referencing their lives and legacy as I follow my own dreams and build my own legacy. The impact they have had on me, are simply the monad their lives left behind and entered into my soul, having a positive impact on my life.

I am not upset that I had loss on my birthday, I looked at it as an opportunity for me to each year think about my uncles and the impact they had on our family, their children, their grand children, and directly on me. Also, how the domino effect of their goodness, the monads they left behind, will continue to have on the community of people their legacy will impact. It is not unlike the Holiday Classic, It's A Wonderful Life. That movie demonstrates that we are all important, we all have impact, we all are integral parts in the Epic Not-So-Miniseries that is the history of the world. Sometimes you are a principal actor, and sometimes you are a walk-on.

Constantin Stanislavski, (you know, the acting teaching legend) has been credited with saying, "There are no small parts, just small actors." Some people laugh at that one, but I think if you reflect on the "Wonderful Life" theme, you never know when someone might be looking at you in your "bit part." If you are not playing it authentically, then you are lessening the entire production.

Today, think to yourself: "When I pass, where will my monads go? Who will I have impacted during my time on Earth? What legacy will I leave behind to inspire those who follow generations after I am gone?" Living a mindful life will not only make your current life more rich, but it will leave the world a better place than when you first entered it.

By the way, yesterday, animator Art Clokey, the creator of Gumby and Davey and Goliath, passed away. He was 88. I never met him, but his work made me smile. . . thanks for the monad.