Sunday Stream (26) - Individuality

[mtmynd]

I find it odd that the word is: "the Pope has died." The Pope never dies, it is the man who is called Pope for a certain period of time that dies... it's happened to a whole string of those that were called Pope. But it is Pope John Paul II that ended this reign of the Papacy... and quite a man he was, regardless of one's faith. He was a remarkable individual.

It is this word "individual" that is key to living and life. The word itself, "individual," comes from Latin indīviduus : in-, not; + dīviduus, divisible (from dīvidere, to divide).

Our friend, the dictionary, defines 'individual' (the noun) as -

(1) A single human considered apart from a society or community.
(2) A human regarded as a unique personality.
(3) A person distinguished from others by a special quality.
(4) A single animal or plant as distinguished from a species, community, or group.
(5) A member of a collection or set; a specimen.

The first (3) of these definitions aptly describes Pope John Paul II - an individual he indeed was. From the beginning of his Papacy in 1978 he began embracing mankind and continued until only days before his passing.

How many of us can truly embrace our individuality? Historically it seems as though those that accepted their individuality have succeeded, on some level above those amongst them, in their lives and by so doing have left their mark upon, perhaps not the world, but certainly those that knew them.

On the surface it seems so simple - be yourself, but apparently this is something that we, as human beings, are still struggling with - our own individuality. We worry and doubt that those things within us - our hopes, our dreams, our potentials, our happiness and joys, may somehow not be 'acceptable' to the social environment within which we are living.

When the new-born enters the world there is purity, an individual that has not been contaminated by either parents, family, friends or social mores. These things come with time, they come with our indoctrinations, our learnings and leanings... what is 'right' and what is 'wrong', although initially good for society, may intrude upon the individual's need to embrace.

By not embracing certain things the individual lacks in growth to a certain extent. We pretty much all have experienced blockages to our growth, have had barriers put up to deny us learning about certain things at certain times ("No! You're not ready for that!")... all of which is understandable to an extent, but for others these barriers are the crosses we bear with us for the rest of our lives - an injured mind prevents full flowering of our potential.

Why society always been enamored by those that they call 'famous' (or even 'infamous') is because those particular individuals have acheived what most have always desired - to live their own lives according to their own wishes, hopes and desires... to live to their potential.

Some are fortunate enough to have their potentiality come into bloom when they are young - actors, musicians, writers that we all may call 'famous'... there are those that have achieved their potential but society was not quite ready to embrace that individuality - the Van Gogh's of the world, regardless of the art that came flowing out of them.

It is an art when we live according to our own potential. Pope John Paul II did not fully bloom until his late 50's, upon being chosen Pope, that his own potential came into being. The art of being a Pope radiated from almost the moment he was called Pope and he lived his life as an art as only a Pope should - embracing mankind, embracing other religions, bringing the word of love to all parts of our planet... a true individual. And that is what the people will remember of this man - his individuality, the art of living his potential, his love that was an inextinguishable flame lighting others in love of life. (remember his forgiveness to the man that tried to assasinate him..?)

We cannnot attempt to be a Pope John Paul II, we cannot attempt to be a John Lennon or a Jack Kerouac, or any other person of fame and individuality - we can only attempt to be that which we are capable of being - and that is our full potential.

We are all alive now to learn of ourselves and how that relates to all around us. This learning process is a continuing process that we should never give up on, for if we do give up, we give up living our potential. Age has little to do with our learning of self... for as it has been said - to know thyself is to understand life. Once we understand life we know of love and it is love that is our individuality... like the variety of flowers that grow, all exude their own fragrances for the benefit of Mr Kite...

Thank you, Karol, for you individuality...

Cecil
03 April 2005

[WIREMAN]

Traveling thru the spectrum of time, I remember I was working as a sculptor's assistant on 6th avenue big apple when he was elected Pontiff and that's when the Individual "I" took hold of wired me and I've never looked back, there was something that made me wanna just take the artist path alone, and individual...............

[Artguy]

I/We ....something the I in me struggles with....melting ego and egolessness....to live, function in a society strong in the I....I try to recognize the strength in the we....a conundrum indeed....

[mtmynd]

hey, wired! interesting that you decided upon the path of art when PJP2 took the hat... what a starting point! g'day to your and yours.

artguy - yea, that old conun-drum is our most percussive voice of all, eh? I vs we - but me thinks that once the "I" is open it encompasses the 'we' rather than the 'we' encompassing the 'I'... at least for attaining full potential. But I may have to contemplate that one. Thx for stoppin' in... i always appreciate it.

[hester_prynne]

Nuthin is better than dangling your eyes in a stream that has a refreshing message like this.

ahhhhhhhhhhh...................
and once again, many thanks Cec.

H

[Arcadia]

I was in my fifth year of elementary catholic school when when we had the photo of Juan Pablo II besides the one of Pablo VI in the school´s hall. (Juan Pablo I never was in the wall). I liked the face of the new pope inmediately (a kind of old eclesiastic Sting). Besides, Juan Pablo is the name of my brother (he was born in 1972 and my mother was basically thinking in Sartre and in french when she chose his name).
I remember when he came here in conflictives times with Chile and England. I also remember other things of that times.
He also represented and supported conservative and medieval sectors of the church and talking about Catholicism I prefer the Liberation Theory more than the Opus Dei.
Was he a great individual?
Was he a great man?
I don´t know. I don´t have a formal relation with the catholic church since I was sixteen but...

Do I have to wish something for him?. Well, here´s my post-mortem wish: Karol, have real peace.

[mtmynd]

Hes' - when i see you wading in the Stream I think to myself - "How cool!" Thank you...

Arcadia - our own assessment of his 'greatness' pales in comparison to what i have seen worldwide... but an 'individual' he was... that i don't believe to be an askewed assessment. as usual, mi amiga, gracias para sus palabras! me gusta mucha...