Are You Doing the Rarest Thing in the World?

Are You Doing the Rarest Thing in the World?

“To live is the rarest thing in the world.
Most people exist, that is all.”
~Oscar Wilde

I read this quote over at Barbara’s place the other day and it, and her whole post, got me thinking.

We who gather here on the porch are an introspective bunch. When I suggested in a recent post that the world could be more perfect, most people disagreed with me, stating it already is perfect. Only here would those arguments be voiced in such abundance! We’re silver-lining people, for sure. We know how to make the best of things. And we think about life. We think a lot!

We’re problem-solvers, optimists, die-hard believers in a better way to approach life. We’re pretty amazing but what if in this process of dissecting life we’re not really living it as much as we could? What if we’re taking it all too seriously?

I admit, I’m probably the guiltiest of living in my head rather than in my heart. I’m The Introspective Blogger after all. I remember reading a quote when I was a teenager that went something like this: “My problem is I analyze life instead of live it.” I know I need to step away and dig into living life more and thinking about it less.

I’ve found a way to do that, well, four ways actually. I’m so grateful to be living in a climate which has four distinct seasons whose variety keeps life interesting.  The activity I use to get out of my head and into my heart changes with the seasons.

  • Winter: Strap on snowshoes, trek into our woods, make a fire and cook something or make coffee over the fire.
  • Spring: Weed weed weed! (I love weeding! It’s like spring-cleaning for the yard!)
  • Summer: Take to the swing by the brook or get to the water.
  • Fall: Go to yard sales (I call it “yard-sailing”). Alex and I used to do this together. I enjoy it a lot.

These activities get me out of my head into my heart, allowing me to live rather than merely exist. They inspire and balance me, yep – even the yard sailing. (Have you tried this? Seriously – it’s the most fun you can have with a pocket full of change!)

Do you over-analyze your life?  What activities get you out of your head and into your heart? Are you doing the rarest thing in the world?

photo credit: That’s me on a walk in the woods!

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About The Author


I have always loved writing and community building. I’ve written a book about healing and happiness, The Happy Place, as well as a Community Building book, Sounding the Drum: Community Building in the Digital Age,both available at any Amazon store. I’ve been through life changes that I thought were the end of my world, but I’m still here. You never know what will happen next. Isn’t that what makes life interesting?