Zen Masters: Phineas and Ferb

Phineas and Ferb have figured it out. More like the creators of Phineas & Ferb have figured it out.

Figured out life. The meaning of life. The way of life. The life philosophers have been arguing about. The life that saints live.

These two kids, in their summer vacation figured out the zen life. And how did they do it? By staying in the present. Not stuck, but present in the moment.

Yes. Being stuck and being present are different. Stuck comes with attachment; presence comes with non attachment. Because each moment is so fleeting, if you try to focus on it, you can’t stay attached. If you get attached to even one previous moment, you’re stuck. You cant stay present and attached at the same time. These two are mutually exclusive. It’s hilarious. Time is so funny.

Back to Phineas and Ferb. They don’t strive for the future. Who knows what the future holds or if there’s even a future? What’s the point of thinking about something that might not exist. Total waste of time, right? (Hahahaha. Tell that to my anxious brain.)

All they do is wake up everyday and do what they love: Create, Invent, Have fun with Friends.

Create because creating is one of the primary function of humans. It’s simple but I could write a whole newsletter about it. Aristotle has a whole argument on it and let’s be real - he’s more credible than me. But if you don’t like him then Jean-Paul Sartre also argued that creation is a core human function.

These kids create, but they don’t get attached to their creations. The big-ass inventions: roller coaster, spaceships, backyard beach - every single thing they build disappears by the end of the day( it happens because of various hilarious reasons. But it’s funny how it vanishes every time their mom comes home. She has no clue that her kids are geniuses)

They don’t give a single fuck. Wake up, create, repeat. They go where the life takes them. They don’t care about the obstacles. They don’t care about what other people think. Hell, they don’t even care when their own sister, Candace wants them to get caught by their mom.

These boys just have fun. Help their friends when they ask for it. Help their sister who is a hyper-insane teenager.

It’s wild how zen they are!

Their pet platypus, Perry, goes missing every morning. (coz he’s a secret agent fighting one evil scientist(I have a whole theory about him but that’s for another day)) This pet they love so much - they open a restaurant in his honor and make a device to communicate with animals. They love Perry and let him go. They don’t go looking after him , cage him, or ask him why he went. Instead, what do they do? They create!

Perhaps (such a lovely word. Say it out loud), they just trust that Perry will be okay. And he always is. More than okay. He comes back after fighting evil by the end of the day and is welcomed with open arms. They love him the same when he returns.

This is how these boys have figured out life. Creating and staying in the present without being attached to their creation or anyone. But it doesn’t mean that they are apathetic or cruel.

I don’t get why people associate detachment with apathy, cruelty or evil. It’s not that.

Detachment is the belief that everything ends. Everything is meant to end. So, this ended, that ended and that’s okay. I am okay. I am detached. Move on.

This is a huge power. To create and not get attached. And no powerful thing comes easy. Phewwww. I get attached to silly little things that don’t even matter. Crazyy.

I love Phineas and Ferb and this was my excuse to watch it. I don’t know anyone in real life that is zen. So, these cartoons are my zen masters. My reminder: to stay in the present, to keep on creating, stay detached.

Are you zen or know anyone zen? Lemme know in the comments!

Until Next Time,

XOXO

Arsh Kaur

Find me on Insta @arsheverest pretending to be happy.