Lesson One
We always want things easier. More comfortable.
Please. Who doesn't?
I don't think you're wrong to want it. I think you're only wrong to believe that "easier" means "happier." When I think about it, really analyze some big events in my life, all of the great things were hard. Really hard. We build expectations in our lives that aren't realistic. We create ideas of what our lives SHOULD be like. This isn't all that different than creating a fantasy world. I'm not saying your crazy but you might be making stuff up.
Maybe you can inspire someone else to be better or do the right thing,
but will you really do that with a smug comment?
And perhaps you can look good enough to get a promotion or some award,
but how much does your "end goal" really matter?
Be honest with yourself. Are you really going to be on your death bed and think, "gee, I'm glad I threw 'so-and-so' under the bus so I could look good to my boss." Will you ever be grateful you were rude to another person? If you were dying right now would you spend your last few minutes thinking about how 'this person' or 'that person' has the upper hand, or they're doing something you don't agree with, or this year you're voting for this or that politician?
If you'd like to waste your life away, I've got a million great ideas for you to try. All of them have some sort of petty theme and they're focused mostly on how you compare yourself to others. It's a great way to live if you'd like feeling unnecessarily stressed all the time.
If you're interested in living a meaningful life you're going to have to think differently. Just close your eyes and see yourself in your last moments alive. I want you to think. I want you to imagine what you will feel is important in that moment. I don't need to give you answers, where your heart is in your final moments alive will provide all the answers you need. That said, I do feel strongly about what I'm going to say next...and that is,
First you must know whom you want to become. You must know what matters to you. You cannot afford to be driving in the wrong direction and wake up at the end of your life completely lost.
Second you must grow the truth very large within your heart. You must guard this truth in your heart against the world, because what the world says is important doesn't actually matter. The truth that your life is short. The truth that this is all temporary. The truth that 100 years after your death no one will remember you. Grow the truth about what matters so big that no one can remove it.
Third you must thank the powers at be for every waking day you have on this earth. And you must live like you're grateful, else you're just playing some game and you actually believe you are entitled to this.
C.S. Lewis wrote that you don't have a soul, you are a soul and you have a body.
Maybe you believe the soul lives on and maybe you don't. But if your soul is your essence of existence, you would be mad to sell it for a promotion, to look good, to get ahead, or to feel more comfortable...you would be beyond insane. You can't get ahead in life. It's a made up idea and someone is profiting at your expense. Just live the things that matter and throw the rest of the garbage where it belongs.
Please. Who doesn't?
I don't think you're wrong to want it. I think you're only wrong to believe that "easier" means "happier." When I think about it, really analyze some big events in my life, all of the great things were hard. Really hard. We build expectations in our lives that aren't realistic. We create ideas of what our lives SHOULD be like. This isn't all that different than creating a fantasy world. I'm not saying your crazy but you might be making stuff up.
Maybe you can inspire someone else to be better or do the right thing,
but will you really do that with a smug comment?
And perhaps you can look good enough to get a promotion or some award,
but how much does your "end goal" really matter?
Be honest with yourself. Are you really going to be on your death bed and think, "gee, I'm glad I threw 'so-and-so' under the bus so I could look good to my boss." Will you ever be grateful you were rude to another person? If you were dying right now would you spend your last few minutes thinking about how 'this person' or 'that person' has the upper hand, or they're doing something you don't agree with, or this year you're voting for this or that politician?
If you'd like to waste your life away, I've got a million great ideas for you to try. All of them have some sort of petty theme and they're focused mostly on how you compare yourself to others. It's a great way to live if you'd like feeling unnecessarily stressed all the time.
If you're interested in living a meaningful life you're going to have to think differently. Just close your eyes and see yourself in your last moments alive. I want you to think. I want you to imagine what you will feel is important in that moment. I don't need to give you answers, where your heart is in your final moments alive will provide all the answers you need. That said, I do feel strongly about what I'm going to say next...and that is,
First you must know whom you want to become. You must know what matters to you. You cannot afford to be driving in the wrong direction and wake up at the end of your life completely lost.
Second you must grow the truth very large within your heart. You must guard this truth in your heart against the world, because what the world says is important doesn't actually matter. The truth that your life is short. The truth that this is all temporary. The truth that 100 years after your death no one will remember you. Grow the truth about what matters so big that no one can remove it.
Third you must thank the powers at be for every waking day you have on this earth. And you must live like you're grateful, else you're just playing some game and you actually believe you are entitled to this.
C.S. Lewis wrote that you don't have a soul, you are a soul and you have a body.
Maybe you believe the soul lives on and maybe you don't. But if your soul is your essence of existence, you would be mad to sell it for a promotion, to look good, to get ahead, or to feel more comfortable...you would be beyond insane. You can't get ahead in life. It's a made up idea and someone is profiting at your expense. Just live the things that matter and throw the rest of the garbage where it belongs.
Comments
Post a Comment