“Incidental Vs. Essential”

by Dr. Larry Morris

It's always helpful to be clear about our purpose and goals in this life. When we achieve this clarity, it becomes simple and easy to distinguish the incidental from the essential. We no longer need toaccept random experiences as our lot when we focus on our goals and purpose in life. There is a fish in the aquarium in San Francisco that looks like a long stick. This fish is totally inert; it rests on the bottom of the aquarium tank and has a wide open mouth. Things in the water vicariously wander into the fish's mouth and travel down the long passageway of its body. This fish epitomizes random experience. When we are too passive and unclear about our direction in life, we tend, like this fish, to experience much that is random and incidental. When we regain our clarity, we forge forward and give attention only to the essential.