Dave Martin

In your life, do you constantly vacillate between thinking about the past, the future, all the while trying to enjoy the moment?

Well is it possible that a life aimed to live entirely in each moment as it comes a pointless one? Even when we are present in the moment, watching a sunset, laughing at something hilariously at something ridiculous a friend just did or singing along to your favourite song when your favourite band does it live, we may subconsciously be hoping for that moment to continue. So although we may be present in that moment, by wanting more of it, it can only come in the future.

So that is a life that is not lived entirely in the moment.

Much like everything done healthily, it appears to be about balance. Balancing being present and fully aware of where you, who you are the things you have in the moment, while at same time having dreams, goals or ambitions.

If you are completely contented with this moment right now, does that not mean you’ve reached the pinnacle of your life, and everything in future will not be as good? Is a life dettached from ambition one where you might as well just end your life right now? If you are content with absolutely everything, in essence, are you not ready to say bye bye to life?

Perhaps a life of presence (complemented with goals, dreams or ambitions) is The Good Life.

What’s Frida Kahlo got to do with it?

Frida Kahlo lived a rich life, or experience, freedom, joy and adventure. But after everything that her failing body had been through, at some point she had had enough. Fuck it, she was done. She had done so much, touched so many people’s lives, somehow made the most of hers, but that was enough. She called it.

A few days before she died, she wrote this in her diary:

or:

We’ll never know what it truly felt like to be Frida Kahlo. And even though she suffered a lot, it’s possible that after a life where she experienced so much, but had to suffer so much, she may have thought ‘Ok, that’s it. I’m out of here. This life threw everything at me, somehow I learned how to fight, and have real moments of life throughout, that’s enough. See ya’s’.

Perhaps she no longer had any ambitions (something that drove her as child, and throughout her life, all the way up until she finally got an exhibition of her artworks in her native Mexico.