I need to learn to appreciate the simpler things better...

[myrgthful]

The best things in life are nearest: Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Comments

[the_pangolin]

I'm inclined to agree, however things have changed a good deal since Robert Louis Stevenson wrote those words. In an age when "daily duties" often include sitting in a beige cubicle, typing on a beige computer, accomplishing nothing of any real merit for years without end...well, "daily duties" might NOT in fact be "the sweetest things in life."

Daily bread however...

[myrgthful]

Golden days syndrome?

I see truth in what you have to say, and this is one reason why I elected to do something other than standard office-work. But I often hear people talk about a past time when the world was better. I've picked on a couple of guys who have talked about the enlightenment of ancient Japan, since that supposed enlightenment was only experienced by a few priveleged intellectual monks, samurai and nobles. For the rest of Japan, it was pretty miserable. (Which is probably why Buddhism flourished as a religion, come to think of it)

'Member... the daily grind wasn't nearly so comfortable for serfs in ancient days. At least, in a beige cubicle, you have heat and can leave for a decent lunch. For lunch, you can commonly have foods which ancient people would never have sampled in their lifetimes, or which would have been prohibitively expensive.

Grapes, oranges, certain meats and other things were all beyond commoners at one time.

[the_pangolin]

Psh. It all depended on where you lived.

Also I've lived a labourers life and I prefered it to data entry. ;-) Besides, I think things were a might easier in Stevenson's day than they were in the Dark/Middle Ages.

[myrgthful]

Okay, now I'm curious... how'd you live a laborer's life? Was it in Panama? And I didn't mean to offend. More that I was wondering what image attracted you in this.

p.s. -- I like the new icon, better than the last.