The Wise Eternity of the Unbroken Line

Have you ever thought about a circle and what it means?

Symbolically, circles are ever-recurring, 360-degree lines that don't have an end because they continuously cycle. They can mean eternity, or they can enclose something within a boundary.

Whichever meaning you find is up to you.

It can be both the Alpha and the Omega of the construct of time's ever-moving gears.

But I've noticed that as you grow in life, some circles get smaller, while other circles grow as you do.

For example, I keep my friend circle more reined in these days. That doesn't mean I feel people are necessarily negative, but I feel like it's the best way to hold on to who's truly there for me and who's not.

I'm not standoffish or someone who doesn't want to have a circle, but I think your circle should be full of people who want to elevate you and celebrate your accomplishments with you, as you should do for them. Reciprocity is also circular, you know? You can offer others a sense of cheering them on in their endeavors, and they can do the same for you. We should always strive for the success of others in addition to ourselves.

Now, regarding friends, I think as you grow older, you'll find fewer and fewer people you interact with who click and more and more people who understand you on a soul level, even if that's less.

Those are the ones you want to keep around, right?

That's how life works.

God opens some doors and allows some people to enter, and He closes other doors and boots people out of your life.

In any case, we've got to be content with where we're at, and of course, He'll send us new friends, new experiences, and people who want to see the best for us.

And like I said before, we should want the best for them too.

Some people will treat you like the gum under their shoe, and others will treat you like one of the reasons God hangs the moon. They will see that all people are valuable in their own way, and that you are made in God's image as they are. The trick is knowing the difference.

So that's one circle I believe will be an oscillating shape in your life instead of something that's always profoundly 360 degrees in a static form.

One circle that's never going to leave your life is your family, of course, and because of that, it's a bond you'll never break—the perfect metaphor for what the circle represents. A unity of blood and circumstance.

Now, family ties can be interesting because you might be separated by states or sometimes countries, but you should always try to check up on people, even if you're far away from them.

And if someone comes into your mind, maybe the reason they came into your mind is that they're needing something from you.

Maybe there's a red string of fate in their life connected to yours, telling you, "Hey, check in on your mother."

Family you can't choose, right?

Only God chooses who your family is, and you are subject to His whims when it comes to your family.

You don't get to pick them.

Hopefully, you're in a delightful spot with them. That's always the best-case scenario, but sometimes we've had drama or disagreements, and the best thing to do is think things over for a while.

Recognize where you or they may have gone wrong, or if you were missing some information along the way.

Always assume you're not understanding the complete picture when it comes to family arguments because maybe there's some selfishness on both sides that needs to be rooted out. You must keep the family alive in some way beyond the corridors of escalating time.

I believe family is the one thing you can always fall back on, and you should never, ever keep them out of your prayers if you can help it.

As my mom recently said to me, sometimes all we have to do is move forward, and there's nothing else we can do but move forward.

In that sense, I agree with her because that's also my philosophy for life when storms come.

The best thing for us is to understand that circles change, circles grow, and circles expand.

But a circle is still a boundary, and it is still eternal.

Again, it's up to us to identify what it means to us individually.

Careening Career Carousels

When it comes to careers, it's a little different.

I've made no secret that I'm not a fan of traditional employment (but for the love of Yahweh get a job if you must), but I understand that it's how the vast majority of the world operates because that's how economies have been shaped since the Industrial Revolution.

Employment was a decent option, at least back in the old days.

These days, in the economy we have, with everything going on in the world, maybe that's not necessarily the case anymore.

But we can't lose hope.

I always want people to try out entrepreneurship, whether they're doing it on the side or making the jump without unnecessary risk, of course.

When it comes to career circles, things will always evolve and change.

Sometimes, you've got people who believe in tenure and staying at a company forever. Other times, you've got people for whom the idea of punching a clock makes them want to rip their hair out in seven different directions and never touch even a sliver of having to work for someone else.

Which I can respect.

I get that.

I also see the other side, too, if I'm being honest, but career circles definitely change more than other ones.

The days of staying at a company for a long time, unless you're in the military or have government involvement, are getting shorter and fewer—those opportunities are golden if they come, though.

Now, I do believe in the concept of networking, so don't get me wrong, but I feel like sometimes being in business can be a lonely venture.

And yet even still, you must press on and reach forward toward that tomorrow you're so desperately seeking, where you don't have to put in as much active time as allowing things to flow.

I've actually thought about opening up a Substack and trying my hand at that to have another avenue for writing without repurposing content—The Hush with Bryan Rivera-Rivera.

I love writing.

I love the joy it brings me, and that's one more avenue I want to explore, so that I can create a lasting legacy in this world that isn't tied to fiction and clients.

But going back to the circle notion, having that lasting legacy is going to be done with the right people in the right circles, not the wrong circles.

Circle, the Erased

You know what circles I'm talking about.

The misshapen circles. The ones that are broken in some part of them. The ones that don't fully come around, if you know what I mean.

Those types of people we need to leave out of our lives both for their good and yours.

We don't want those circles anymore.

Sometimes, it's best to grow and let your boundaries expand without the baggage of the past.

Remember, having the correct caliber of circle in your life is of the utmost importance and paramount to your substantial growth and what it is you choose to put your hand to.

I want people to find the right doors for them so they can walk into a grand circular gala of people who will celebrate with them instead of tearing them down.

I've said often that I don't understand why people tear others down.

It doesn't make any sense to me.

While this might sound cold to some, if you're going to be tearing others down, I don't believe you belong in my circle.

Doesn't mean you can't love someone from a distance, right?

But specifically speaking on how people treat other people, that's a circle you don't want to be inside, confined within the 360 degrees of negativity and not understanding another's worth.

Perpetual victimhood is a choice in many cases, staying stuck, stagnant, and never wishing to improve upon oneself. Those things should form you into a better man, not one who doesn't solve his problems (turn the gender as necessary).

Avoid those circles at all costs and enjoy the circles you were led to integrate yourself into.

It might be a small circle, but at least it forms with purpose and shared vision.

The Higher Circles Unify Purposes

I want everyone to flourish and thrive.

For everyone to be able to live their dreams, if possible.

Now, again, I'm not saying you can't be reasonable about your goals. There's a sense of pragmatism in everything I say, but at the same time, why not shoot higher?

Ascend to higher circles. Think of life as a game where you toss a ball into a gradually shrinking circle that rises higher with time. It takes a lot more work to get there, but you must get there.

That's the best way to leave a mark on the world. Not in delusions of grandeur, but in using your gifts to fill the world with endless light.

There'll always be the slow days at the beginning, but it's at those times you have to continue showing up, entering the circle, and making the rounds until you get somewhere.

I'm a fan of self-improvement, and by the grace of God, I have improved in many ways and will continue to improve.

But lest you be wise in your own eyes, remember the wisdom of the unbroken line.