Doing and Being

The words of my Grandmother - In the moon of the Hard Cold (January) 1942

"You will find your toughest job is simply, TO BE."

Like the Sun and the Breeze
The Earth and the Trees
A Raccoon's toughest job
Is simply TO BE.

There are Stories from the time of the Grandfathers, they are Lessons in "Doing" and "Being".

The Stories are about Raccoon and Beaver -

In Human terms, Raccoon is a happy-go-lucky fellow with alot of mischife mixed in. Raccoon is not a "Do'er", he is a "Be'er".
Raccoon, he will make his home in a hollow of a tree, under a rock or even down your chimney, it is not a concerned.
Where as Beaver, he builds his dam and home, forever working to maintain this dam to protect his home in the pond created by the dam.

As an adult, you become as Beaver, he is a "Do'er". You learn of all the responsibilities required of you to live in the "Real World". You seek to develop a "True Purpose" in Life, setting aside the carefree wonder that Raccoon has for the World in order to construct your personal "Dams", wherein you seek purpose.
You may accept somewhere along the way the idea that you are only as worthwhile as the things you accomplish: the larger the Dam, the better the person; the more work that has been done, the greater the reward, be it security, status, power, wealth, love or anything you set your mind to.

Still, one simple truth remains:

WE ARE NOT HUMAN DOINGS
WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS

There is the unspoken danger in sacrifing your BEING for the sake of DOING.

Sometimes, "Doing" gives you a reason to avoid "Being", to avoid your own inner experience. Your challenge is to decide what is best for you and where you can strike a Balance between the two by relating what you are "Doing" to your inner experience, your "Being", and vice versa.

How often have your heard either yourself or someone else saying, "I wish I had the Time....?" and yet you do not MAKE the Time. You do not take the time to Honor the relationship between "Being" and "Doing", and to actively Learn from it.

Unfortunately, assuming that Being and Doing are one and the same, often proves harmful. Focusing on only one, in the belief that there is no distinction between the two, can lead to disharmony and a feeling of emptiness or disconnectedness.

There is a Euro-American saying - "If at first you don't succeed, try, try, again."
The Grandfathers saying - "If at first you don't think, and think again, don't bother trying".

BEING SAYS - It is enough just TO BE; our pourpose in Life is to develop the INNER SELF.
DOING SAYS - Be active; work hard, apply yourself fully and your efforts MAY be rewarded.

WALKING IN HARMONY AND BALANCE MEANS EXPERIENCING BOTH, EQUALLY!

Be'er or Do'er????
Find your Balance within each.

White Crow April 1958