We spend our lives trying to develop
into who we are going to be – who we want to be, even if we're
unaware of that direction when we are thrust into this world.
Unbeknownst to each and every one of us, we are up against a world
that will try to defy us the opportunity of development in the
direction fo desire, and thusly, spend our lives reacting to the
variables that step into our path.
These variables can be anything – and
they will likely be everything. Standing idly prevents the
experiences necessary to gain insight into how to better ourselves
for the future and the experiences will ultimately change our
perspectives of what we want by drastic margins.
More often than not, the desires we
have set for ourselves will also directly distract us from who we
want to be. A prime example of this is a person who decides it is a
wiser decision to get drunk as opposed to facing a problem in their
life. For most, drinking will provide a far more immediate
satisfaction – and perhaps facing the problem will never provide
satisfaction in any other means than just no longer having that weigh
on the individual.
As humans, we also always have problems
that need to be solved. Whether it be a simple problem such as what
to eat for dinner or something far more life altering like whether or
not to put one's self into financial debt for the sake of making a
loved one happier.
Every choice an individual makes alters
their life and their future desires. Choosing to eat the same meal
every day, for example, would make other choices take a higher
priority. I once read that Einstein wore the same outfit every day
so he never had to spend his time thinking about what he was going to
wear. Some people, however, enjoy thinking about the little choices
in life – thinking out what to make for dinner, to go back to that,
fills some people with pride and enjoyment.
How, though, can one deal with choices
they've made that end up blocking every desire they have for
themselves? How does one live with a choice that forces them into
sacrificing the things they were working so hard towards?
The perplexing thing about being human
is how we can rationalize our emotions, complicating everything we
do. One person can work a menial job their entire life and be
satisfied while another can become rich doing something that doesn't
bring their life meaning, and end in suicide. Hell, for that matter,
their life can be full of meaning and still end in suicide.
Once one becomes aware of this, the
weight of the consequences can become almost paralyzing. Of course,
philosophers have lived this life throughout the history of humanity
and, for the most part, told the tales of their meditative
conclusions. But, really, was that the right choice?
And this concludes the random thought
of the day. What did you have for dinner?
-Dustin S. Stover
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