on destination and its conditions ...

Throughout the history of humanity we have developed this fascination with "north". We have learned to read the stars, the sun, nature hints, all sort of methods to "direct" us where we want to go. It is evident that if we want to go somewhere one must "follow" a direction, as we won't get nowhere if:

a. we don't have a final destination in mind and

b. we don't follow the direction that points to that destination.

Do all humans have an inner compass that moves us all towards the same point? Is this the so called "conscience"? or Enlightenment Path perhaps?  is this the Light of Christ? 

A long time ago I took a road trip from Caracas, Venezuela, all the way south to Lima, Peru (that is near 3,000 Km once is all said and done). A series of bus after bus after bus after bus; very few well paved highways; a variety of foods, of people; plenty of uncomfortable nights sleeping on a non reclining seat, and lots of beautiful sightings were the result. I recall the anticipation from the minute I boarded the first bus, I recall the views during the day, the stops for some delicious food, the people next to me (it kept changing from bus to bus) I recall looking at all times, at the beginning specially, for someone who was going the same direction as me, a traveling companion of sorts. I found many of them but none that went all the way the same route as I was; not obviously until the last leg of the route when all were heading to Lima of course. From Caracas to Cucuta there were lots of people getting off the bus and coming in along the way; the bus must have changed configurations at least 4 times and there I was, the one common traveller, even the drivers switched as I sat on my very same seat all the way. Cucuta to Bogota was a more semi permanent trip, about half of the passengers were going to the same destiny as me; it was great to feel the "familiarity" as it made stops to eat, to drop and pick up few passengers or to change drivers. Bogota to Ipiales was again a bus of many stops and going from full to empty from stop to stop, a bit of an uneasiness due to the "unfamiliar" faces yet exciting to find a new companion whom to chat with on every stop along the way almost. Ipiales-Quito-Guayaquil-Huaquillas again the unfamiliar faces, the short conversations, the constant changing of travelling partner. Because I had lived in Ecuador before, it felt so comfortable, so familiar, it was easier to talk to my new traveling companion (the person next to me on the seat) it made this leg of the trip so comfortable, so familiar. For those who have never travelled in a bus in Latin America part of the anxiety was the issue of the seats and availability. Thank goodness there was a company back in Caracas that had made a way to presell me all the tickets at once but I still had to go and get my bags at every stop and make sure my new ticket for that route was validated; there were times when the wait for the next bus was super short and others were it was rather long. There were times when I was almost denied access to a certain bus because they didn't have confirmation of my ticket, there were tense moments. Throughout all the trip one travels next to the Andes (as one has to cross them I suppose and the buses are looking for the easiest way to cross them, which reminded me of Bolivar and his army getting sick from that trip.) And though the views are incredibly beautiful one travels with great fears as the roads get ever so small and curvy as to barely fit the bus let alone two if another is coming in the opposite direction; it feel, at times, as if the bus wheels are not all touching the road but rather the abyss; perilous times, yes. It is only after Guayaquil that one travels on the coast, that the sight is so much different, from all the colours of the rainbow mixed with green, green being the most prevalent as one crosses the Andes, to the arid sands of the coast and yet the aroma of the sea, the humidity, the smell of the saltiness reminded me of my youth at my grandfather's house or my days in Lima or El Callao, the salinity on my nose brought back great memories; so many familiar sounds, smells, I felt I was getting closer to my final destination. My last traveling companion couldn't believe where I was coming from, it was far to be honest and for someone who only knew his small town and was going towards the big city for the first time in his life, his mind couldn't fathom how far it had been for me. At last, home, my final destination, the familiar faces of my family waiting at the bus terminal, the surety of my next plans becoming a reality, a true joy.

Whether we call it Nirvana, The Celestial Kingdom or Firdaws, the idea of a something after life filled with eternal happiness seems very common to all religions, this place in opposition to the suffering or discomfort of our existence or so called "hell". I agree though with agnostics that the thought of an after life shouldn't be the incentive for a good life, but rather that a good life for itself should be good enough reason for one to make an effort every day to be a better person, to live a better life, to be kinder to others, to show more compassion. The trip I took, was the trip itself, enjoyable, fun; at times scary, at times lonely, but it was the trip itself that was enjoyable. I suppose it is the attitude one has towards it that makes the very same trip either a pleasant or a horrible experience.

I do believe that though we are all aiming to go somewhere or nowhere in some cases where there is no believe in after life, that we all agree that it is this trip what matters, it is this day, this minute what really matters. let us enjoy every sight, every bump on the road, let us talk to every stranger that seats besides us on the bus, overlooking at the hard notes; that focusing on the good, will make this a pleasant trip for us and to all. Let us not loose "direction" of where we want to go though or we might end simply nowhere. In defence of the non believers again, if one does any good because of the reward one believes will get in the after life, how "good" is that? Doing something with the aim of a reward takes away the goodness of it as it becomes rather an action done due to some exchange, an act of a mercantilistic mind rather than a enlightened one. If one does it for fear also, of loosing that reward, that doesn't cut it either, as one is simply a coward and fearful being. The premise that one has to believe in an after life in order to do good deeds doesn't fly, simple as that. I know plenty of  non believers and they are such great people, as many as are amongst the believers; there's goodness and direction on every human was my first question and I must say yes there is, regardless of their beliefs. Goodness has to come from the heart, from free will, not from interest, nor from fear.

There are "conditions" to achieve anything, things don't get achieved but simply staring or doing nothing, it is in the doing that one learns, that one achieves; every destination, every goal has conditions and only if and when we meet those conditions is that one gets the desired results. I did not get to Lima by simply thinking about it (I wished I could have said "beam me up Scotty"), but I had to pay for those tickets, board those buses, change some others, go to different stations at times, take meals when told, board the buses at certain exact times, take a break/stroll only for certain periods of time, etc; there were plenty of directions to follow along, to obey if one may, in order to meet the conditions required for me to reach my destination.

Let us find out:
a. Where do we want to go, our final destination.
b. The conditions of what we are aiming at, let us find the price of the tickets, where to pick them up, where to board the buses, where will we eat, etc; yes, let us find out the conditions of our journey, and
c. Let us start the trip.

I happen to believe in that after life, I believe in that so called Heaven and Hell, but to me Heaven is  not a mere physical place nor is Hell, but rather the condition of the human soul, a state rather of happiness, of peace, of love; or a state of the opposite, of that suffering of which Buddhism talks. I have experienced both in my life and I must admit to prefer that Heavenly feeling in my chest rather than the Samsara of suffering.

Enjoy your trip!