This is in continuation to my previous post. Ergo, if you didn’t read my last post, you should definitely do so before diving into this one. In this post I will mention another interaction I had this semester that exposes my second premise to this project:
2. Uncovering 'The Buried Life.'
The backstory and reasoning to this goal stems from what it means to be mindful - and to me, that encompasses what it truly means to be alive. This sense of living can be particular to the individual, but more importantly... To be mindful is to be making an active effort in living. I believe this how the rewiring process is initiated.
October 2015 marks my initiation of Mark and Wallace’s challenge - engaging in the water. Furthermore, I had a pivotal moment that marked one of personal insight (the focus for my next post). These events in October 2015 reminded me of one of my favorite TV shows - The Buried Life.
The 2010 MTV show - The Buried Life - follows the journey of four young friends crossing off items from their bucket list. Show creators, Dave, Duncan, Jonnie, and Ben are searching to answer the question “what do you want to do before you die?” Most importantly, they act upon these thoughts, and when they accomplish something off their list, they help someone else along the way.
Show creators actually got inspiration for the name of their project - The Buried Life - from an 1852 poem by Matthew Arnold, also coincidentally titled The Buried Life. However Dave, Duncan, Jonnie, and Ben hone in on four very important lines
But often, in the world’s most crowded streets,
But often, in the din of strife,
There rises an unspeakable desire,
After the knowledge of our buried life.
Although unaware of the original backstory to the shows conception when it aired in 2010 I fell in love with it, and five years later, I have fallen into a deeper love spell.
I blame my trance on the fact that I’ve recognized how Dave, Duncan, Jonnie, and Ben’s work tackles much of the problem David Foster Wallace posed before us - actively engaging in the water, but not losing sight of others along the way. For me, The Buried Life is much of what I want to tap into when creating concrete actions from my efforts in being mindful.
Therefore, premise 1 of my project, ‘shar[ing] my efforts in mindfulness - reflecting on all the water around me,’ won’t suffice alone. Thus, this blog will serve as a platform in recording the funny, scary, and hopefully daring attempts I try to make uncovering ‘The Buried Life.’
Therefore my second premise is as follows:
2. Uncovering 'The Buried Life.'
So yes... This means sharing my experiences in not only being mindful, but acting upon ever ounce, spark, urge, and/or bit of excitement in my system, to answer what it truly means to be alive. Essentially - sharing my journey in crossing off my items on my bucket list.
I hope you will come join me on this journey.
