ferris wheel ride $1 - exploring how to find yourself in the rat race of life

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Poetry reading & Personal development series: “Ferris Wheel Ride: $1 with Jennifer Kumar Thank you for spending your valuable time here, today.

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See my website: http://www.authenticjourneys.info Have you ever wondered how to find yourself in the rat race of life? I share some of my thoughts with you in this poetry reading and reflections. Jennifer Kumar is a cross-cultural teacher, trainer and lifestyle adjustment mentor helping people adjust to American and global lifestyles through a variety of methods, including Indian cooking classes. She was educated in India as a social worker and in America as a life coach. Feel free to see her website - Authentic Journeys - Lifestyle and Cultural Transition Services. Feel free to contact me!

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Page 1: Ferris wheel ride $1 - Exploring How to Find Yourself in the Rat Race of Life

Poetry reading & Personal development series:“Ferris Wheel Ride: $1

with Jennifer Kumar

Thank you for spending your valuable time here, today.

Page 2: Ferris wheel ride $1 - Exploring How to Find Yourself in the Rat Race of Life

Ferris wheel ride: $1

Photo credit: photo_gratis @ flickr

©2012, Jennifer Kumar, Owner and Program Directorauthenticjourneys.info -- [email protected]

Page 3: Ferris wheel ride $1 - Exploring How to Find Yourself in the Rat Race of Life

Observing in familiar territory...

Bodies roaming inside

Socially fabricated bubbles.

Secure balloons:Never able to

float.Photo credit: CharlotteSpeaks♥{Charlo tte.Morrall} @ flickr

©2012, Jennifer Kumar, Owner and Program Directorauthenticjourneys.info -- [email protected]

Page 4: Ferris wheel ride $1 - Exploring How to Find Yourself in the Rat Race of Life

Photo credit: brdavids @ flickr

Asphyxiated without knowledge.

©2012, Jennifer Kumar, Owner and Program Directorauthenticjourneys.info -- [email protected]

Page 5: Ferris wheel ride $1 - Exploring How to Find Yourself in the Rat Race of Life

My most disparate Desire For liberation.

Photo credit: Ben Fredericson (xjrlokix) @ flickr

Dissatisfied as a drone clone.Individual ambiguities cyclone

©2012, Jennifer Kumar, Owner and Program Directorauthenticjourneys.info -- [email protected]

Page 6: Ferris wheel ride $1 - Exploring How to Find Yourself in the Rat Race of Life

©2012, Jennifer Kumar, Owner and Program Directorauthenticjourneys.info -- [email protected]

Photo credit: Asa Delta Brasil @ flickr

Feelingdetached.

Floatingabove,

transient.

Page 7: Ferris wheel ride $1 - Exploring How to Find Yourself in the Rat Race of Life

Photo credit: gadi @ flickr

At the time I wrote this poem, I was just starting my life.

What I mean by that is I moved out of my parent's house, I was going to college; I had two or three jobs. Things became easy very quickly. Almost too quickly. Things became habitual, Ok, yes, the schedule changed slightly from day to day. I might go to work in the morning and school in the evening, or school in the morning and work in the evening, or I might have English class in the morning one day and English class in the evening the next day.

Take all that out.

©2012, Jennifer Kumar, Owner and Program Directorauthenticjourneys.info -- [email protected]

Page 8: Ferris wheel ride $1 - Exploring How to Find Yourself in the Rat Race of Life

I noticed that no matter how my schedule changed, it was easy to complete the schedule. Maybe for some people this is a great success, and even for me, I can say, "Yeah, it's a great success."

I completed my schedule day after day week after week without much incidence or worries or complaints. But, it got me thinking, "How could it be so easy?" Photo credit:

redstamp.com@ flickr

©2012, Jennifer Kumar, Owner and Program Directorauthenticjourneys.info -- [email protected]

Page 9: Ferris wheel ride $1 - Exploring How to Find Yourself in the Rat Race of Life

I sort of detached myself from the situation; I was looking down from above, observing my familiar territory. What did I see?

I saw people running in this rat race; this socially fabricated situation. We fabricate our lives, I believe, so that we feel secure. We do the same things day in and day out, they become habitual, we don't even think or question why we're doing them. And, though this brings a lot of security into our life, and gives us some kind of pleasure, for me, I felt I was losing myself in the process. By doing all these "habits", by doing these things everybody else was doing already I wasn't giving myself time or room to know who I was. Why was I doing what I was doing? Did I like it? Why do it and where would it take me?

©2012, Jennifer Kumar, Owner and Program Directorauthenticjourneys.info -- [email protected]

Page 10: Ferris wheel ride $1 - Exploring How to Find Yourself in the Rat Race of Life

It kinda scared me.

I saw all these people doing the same thing day in and day out; without thinking, that's a "drone clone" in my poem... I saw all these drone clones walkin' around doing the same thing day in and day out, and it kinda freaked me out.

I don't wanna be a drone clone.Photo credit: carlos.a.martinez @ flickr

©2012, Jennifer Kumar, Owner and Program Directorauthenticjourneys.info -- [email protected]

Page 11: Ferris wheel ride $1 - Exploring How to Find Yourself in the Rat Race of Life

I always wanted to be a little different than the rest of the people. Not because it's the 'cool thing' to do, but we're all individuals, we're all human beings, we all have something wonderful and unique to contribute to the world and if everybody's numbed themselves down to be drone clones to get some kind of security in their life, but lose themselves in the process, I felt as though.... what a shame, and how sad. How sad it is to live a life knowing that there are so many unique people out there but being numbed down by the schedules and situations of life to create security we trade off ourselves.

We almost lose our own breath without knowing about it. We almost lose our soul without knowing it. We become 'asphyxiated without knowledge.'

©2012, Jennifer Kumar, Owner and Program Directorauthenticjourneys.info -- [email protected]

Page 12: Ferris wheel ride $1 - Exploring How to Find Yourself in the Rat Race of Life

So, then you might say Jennifer, "You told me about your entire poem, but what about that... title! 'Ferris Wheel Ride -$1,' what does that mean?"

Photo credit: rumpleteaser @ flickr

Ok, well I was tryin' to come up with a title that could represent something very average and normal. So, a Ferris wheel ride is a ride in a carnival. Everybody loves to go to a carnival. Some people say life is like a carnival. If you leave a carnival without riding a Ferris wheel, as many may leave life by riding the rat race, you haven't went to the carnival, you haven't lived life. That's the kind of analogy I am trying to make with this. And, why $1? Well, One dollar is easy. Most people can afford a dollar. And, there's no risk involved. You could easily spend a dollar to ride a Ferris wheel as you can easily spend your time in creating habits to be in the rat race, but would spend a thousand dollars for the same Ferris wheel ride? Would you spend your time in a different way to get to know yourself better?

©2012, Jennifer Kumar, Owner and Program Directorauthenticjourneys.info -- [email protected]

Page 13: Ferris wheel ride $1 - Exploring How to Find Yourself in the Rat Race of Life

That's a risk that many people don't take, not only because society doesn't encourage it, but we scare ourselves away from doing this. We scare ourselves from spending time with ourselves to get to know who we are as a person and to get to know our true meaning and purpose on this earth.

Don't let yourself be a person who listens to this message and decides that my purpose is meaningless.

Photo credit: egor.gribanov @ flickr

You are an amazing person.

You are an individual like no other.

There's a goldmine inside of you. Do not let that go to waste.

Let us; the world get to know you for the unique and awesome person that you are.

Give yourself a chance to shine.

©2012, Jennifer Kumar, Owner and Program Directorauthenticjourneys.info -- [email protected]

Page 14: Ferris wheel ride $1 - Exploring How to Find Yourself in the Rat Race of Life

Thank you for watching!

Want to talk or meet with me to discuss your purposeful, authentic life’s path?

Contact me, Jennifer Kumarauthenticjourneys.info

[email protected]

©2012