An Avatar of a Good Life

My only duty is to be an avatar of a good life to whomever I encounter. It’s a duty to them if no one else. I can’t know anything beyond that encounter. Then again, what more is there to know about life than to know it as one encounter after another?

And I know that’s what I’m looking for there: What does this person — this being — have to show me? Do I need something? Do they need something? If neither, wonderful. What else can we show each other? What can each of us take away from this encounter that will make our lives better? And so on for each of us in our next encounter. To show up to that moment as an avatar for a good life is the best I can do. It’s how I help that encounter go as well as it can.

Of course, a lot goes into showing up that way — including the understanding that this is not all there is to it. An appearance is worth what it’s worth, and whatever is underneath is by definition invisible. We have to share an understanding of that. But anyone who shows up understands what it takes to present an appearance, to keep hidden what doesn’t need to be seen, and also to show just what needs to be seen. It’s an act of caring to go through all that, even if the effort is imperfect, which it always is. Knowing how much someone cares is reason enough to care. And caring is a sign of living a good life.