Take that, Charlton...

Walking away from that last post, I started thinking about the whole notion of values. If I stand behind what I said -- that it should be the job of the individual to create a working value system, based on their own intuition and experience -- then I should, if asked, be able to come up with a list of the dos and don'ts that feel right to me.

So I've done just that.


The Ten Commandments, a la Yours Truly, are...

1. Thou shalt take care with the people around you, doing always what is best for them, and never taking advantage, and being never governed by emotions in your dealings with them.

2. Thou shalt take regular naps, and not concern yourself with too much busy-ness, but take time to enjoy the sweet fruits of life.

3. Thou shalt eat well and exercise, but not obsess too much with either, and not deny yourself indulgences upon occasion.

4. Thou shalt not be too ambitious, or seek approval from others, but submit to life’s randomness and do only those things which bring you joy.

5. Thou shalt not submit to envy, but be mindful of attachments to material things, remembering always that value comes from within.

6. Thou shalt spend as much time in nature as possible, and take good care of her, and learn from her whenever possible.

7. Thou shalt remain open to change at all times, never remaining fixed in either action or idea.

8. Thou shalt not assume understanding, remembering always the limits of your own subjectivity.

9. Thou shalt not act where action is unnecessary, but take time to observe, and make every effort to learn from your observations.

10. Thou shalt not take anything too seriously, and be mindful always of the fleeting nature of existence.

How's that for guidance? I guess I'm taking it for granted that people won't kill each other or sleep with one another's wives or any of the other diabolical temptations that wait to pounce around every corner...call me naive, call me idealistic, but my faith in humanity isn't entirely gone just yet.

And of course, you don't have to follow a word of them if you don't want to. That's the beauty of this whole DIY value thing -- opportunities for creativity abound!

So what would Charlton make of them, I wonder? Or more importantly, what do you make of them? Any additions you'd like thrown into the mix? There's no reason we can't crank the number up to 20 if it means ushering in a New World Order of peace and prosperity. Stranger things have happened..."

Like our old friend Lao Tzu says:

"A tree too big to embrace grows from a slender shoot." (Tao Te Ching)