Living on life's terms
When I contemplate why certain aspects or possessions of life are vehemently sought after by others as if some sort of buried treasure or pouch of happiness lay embedded within, I ponder the origin of the motivation for the aquisition of these desires.
Have we convinced ourselves that aquiring that fancy car or sexy spouse will in some way make us happier in life? Judging by experiences we and our fellow human beings experience, I would say the answer is No; No, we don't convince ourselves we are happy becase we are stuck continuing to try, over and over again - until death. The evidence lay in front of us. Why are thousands of wealthy individuals unhappy with their lives; why are celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears resorting to drugs when they supposedly have all they'd ever want? -- To them, they don't. They are continuing the struggle for more -- but to struggle for what? They know not of what they seek but a vague contemplation of some sort of fulfillment, some completion missing in their life that will boost their egoic state for a moment. They can never get enough. There will always be a sexier spouse to pursue; a fancier car to purchase. No one can ever "get enough" when they know not what they seek nor why they seek it.
Perhaps there is mass chaos within each one of our minds; a distortion of reality. So then, what is the "true" reality? If our view is distorted, is there a "proper view" to attain? Or is it the simple fact that maybe we should view the world without the lense of our egoic minds; to walk down the street without mentally skewing the beauty of a tree by straining its reality down to a simple association and schema labeled name.
Maybe the key to happiness is that there is no key at all. Accepting the world for what it is may bring a sense of peace and contentment within us that is itself inherently priceless. Perhaps then, one day, may the struggle for more perpetually cease.
Have we convinced ourselves that aquiring that fancy car or sexy spouse will in some way make us happier in life? Judging by experiences we and our fellow human beings experience, I would say the answer is No; No, we don't convince ourselves we are happy becase we are stuck continuing to try, over and over again - until death. The evidence lay in front of us. Why are thousands of wealthy individuals unhappy with their lives; why are celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears resorting to drugs when they supposedly have all they'd ever want? -- To them, they don't. They are continuing the struggle for more -- but to struggle for what? They know not of what they seek but a vague contemplation of some sort of fulfillment, some completion missing in their life that will boost their egoic state for a moment. They can never get enough. There will always be a sexier spouse to pursue; a fancier car to purchase. No one can ever "get enough" when they know not what they seek nor why they seek it.
Perhaps there is mass chaos within each one of our minds; a distortion of reality. So then, what is the "true" reality? If our view is distorted, is there a "proper view" to attain? Or is it the simple fact that maybe we should view the world without the lense of our egoic minds; to walk down the street without mentally skewing the beauty of a tree by straining its reality down to a simple association and schema labeled name.
Maybe the key to happiness is that there is no key at all. Accepting the world for what it is may bring a sense of peace and contentment within us that is itself inherently priceless. Perhaps then, one day, may the struggle for more perpetually cease.