It’s all a joke.

All of the most breathtaking aspects of our reality, like the Pacific Ocean, are pointless. They are meaningless. In fact, the best attempt to define the ‘point’ of say, Yosemite Valley, in English would be the word “entertainment.” I mean, think about it. What else is it ultimately, existentially, there for? All the most significant parts of our reality, like the night sky, are reduced to mere spectacle in terms of their meaning because they have no meaning. They refer to nothing beyond themselves and their own shape or splendor. A stick doesn’t mean anything. It just is what it is, and it’s great…or not. The Ocean is magnificent in its might and vastness: yet it means nothing. Vanity of vanities. The night sky with its stars is similarly meaningless, yet unmistakably awe-inspiring to behold. Yet—the simple, raw, vital experience of these beings is enough in and of itself.

We humans have what has been described as a ‘meaning-linking type’ consciousness. That means our entire consciousness centers around the creation and exploration of meaning (as opposed to a whale, for instance, who probably has a different format of consciousness). In our civilization, I detect that we have gone a step further with this, associating meaning itself with usefulness. We seem to have gotten so twisted up that we have set about to make the Ocean, and even the night sky not just meaningful but also ‘useful’, as though that were endowing them with a higher purpose than the divine profundity which they innately posses.

Take any one of the animals in your local forest. Get close enough to one of them and you will be automatically fascinated. If you drop your agendas and frames of reference and simply experience any of these critters, you will be amazed at their playfulness, ease, and complexity. They need nothing, and they have no meaning, yet they represent unbridled experience, play, curiosity…

“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” – Matthew 6:26

Let’s take that same lens and turn it towards ourselves. We are forest critters too after all: the human standing before us in the mirror…oh boy. What do we have here? Why are we looking here? Why is the camera pointed my way? It all collapses. The bright, colorful, playful, unbounded universe collapses into a whirl of snarling demons, stories, condemnations, negative affirmations, self-loathing, censorship, stiffness, discipline, and general horror and dismay. Bummer.

The center of the universe is a shit show.

Did you know that, according to astrophysics, because the universe is, as far as we know, infinite, then, mathematically, each one of us is the literal center of the universe? You are the physical fulcrum point of infinity? Yep, that’s right. All physics is relative to the observer.

If this describes how you feel about yourself, then congrats! You’re right on track. If the less-than-awesome part describes how you feel, maybe you need a little pep-talk from the forest critters because those demons? They’re all lies. They’re just there hanging around to see how long you’ll believe them before you tell ’em to pack up and move out.

The ocean, the night sky, the redwoods, and all the critters are looking intently at you because in reality, you are their most beautiful creation without doing, accomplishing, or achieving a damn thing. You are stunningly profound and epic in your meaninglessness, just like Yosemite. Your eyes can see the stars, the ocean, and the redwood foxes. Your mouth can sing music, however bad by western standards, and your mind can tell stores, even if you’ve never practiced these capabilities. In many ways you are the crowning, diamond gem of Nature. Just as meaningless, just as epic.

The critters may not be well connected in Hollywood, they may not speak the latest corporate lingo, and they may be a little shy of your big, intimidating presence, but they are rooting for you. They’re looking to you for answers. Yet, they are also prudent, as you are too. They’ll run away if spooked, but don’t let that make you think they don’t truly see you with the same—with greater wonder and awe than you see them. They are learning from you. Your kind evolved.

Our minds can create meaning, but let’s create meaning for play. We can take things seriously, but instead, let’s try on sincerity. And hell, if you really have a lot of those demons, how about finding a place where people tend to express the freedom of play unapologetically and just sit in the dust with you other humans. Bring some cigarettes to trade and just embody all those things you hate about yourself for a few hours, or a few days. You’ll make fast friends.

Revel in being the overweight, unmotivated, useless loser you’ve always known you were. Belly-laugh, cry, make fart-noises with your fellow losers all day with nothing more pressing than a similarly-minded open mike night on your schedule and a campfire cooked meal. Why not?? You don’t have to stay there forever—just as long as you need to feel absolutely, epic-ly good about yourself *just* as you are. Own all your “shortcomings” and just be that night-sky-ocean-forest-thunderstorm creature you are for all the world to see. Be whatever you want, in fact. It’s more fun that way.