To remedy this, I thought back to one of my favorite books. One that has taught me quite a lot about life and that there are many ways to go about living it. This book is called Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. An excellent read if you haven't yet. Truly eye-opening.
After reading this a few weeks ago, I've had one question on my mind more often than not: What makes life worth living?
Just take a moment to think about your life?
Are you happy? Not some bullshit story you tell yourself trying to convince yourself you're happy. I mean completely, wholly happy.
Well, as we know, I like to tell stories that I've happened to experience that fit with this topic of discussion. So, here is the first.
Right after high school I was just as excited as most to be continuing my education at the next level. But also like a lot of my fellow graduating class I had no idea what I wanted to do. I enrolled in my first semester without any trouble, though, and decided just to get my basics out of the way. All way going just find and dandy until I began running out of basic classes to take. It just so happened that at the same time I was approached by a businessman who whispered in my ear that the business course of study could be very profitable. So like any other young and ambitious student would do, I enrolled in business classes.
Days continued to roll by and I kept in touch with this businessman and began to learn more about his life. I found out that he had more money than he could spend in 10 lifetimes, worked at a position of prestige in a well known oil company, and owned multiple houses and small businesses. He traveled to different locations weekly, staying at high end hotels, got to see far away places, and seemed to be living the life. What could he possibly be missing?
More time passed and I began to get to know them on a more personal level. After talking more I began to notice a trend. They had absolutely no personal connection with anyone. They had lost contact with their family due to excessive business ventures and only focused on building their green empire. All their friends all had the same views with only talks on how to make more money. Now they're in their mid fifties. Alone. In a big empty house with no one left to share their accomplishments with. I asked myself if I'd truly be happy being in business, trying to climb the corporate ladder. I changed my major quickly. I'm not saying you can't be happy in business. It just wasn't for me.
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Now the next story is one we all know, I'm sure. This girl has become a household name within the past month or so by her obscene stage performances and ridiculous dance moves. That's right, I'm talking about Miley Cyrus.
I'm not one to watch the news, or some MTV music show or whatever crappy TV program that happens to be on. Why? Because I hate the message it sends to society. Now, I don't dislike everything she is doing. If she's doing these things because it's what truly, deep down, brings her happiness then, by all
means, Miley, twerk your ass off. But don't do it on TV for every little kid in America to see. The thing I've always disliked about how we look at celebrities is how we idolize them.
We treat them like gods. They can do no wrong and anything they do is cool. We may all make fun of Miley's twerking but there are thousands, if not millions, of people twerking. Celebs have big TVs so we have to have big TVs. They wear a certain kind of clothes so we go buy what they wear. We think that we'll be cool if copy and do everything that they're doing. But does doing all these things make us happy? I don't think so. At least nothing more than temporary happiness. In a few months there will be a bigger TV, new fashions, and another celeb doing the next 'cool' thing.
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In my first story, I'm just a kid lost trying to find my way in life. This rich person comes along who thinks he has life figured out but it turns out he's bankrupt in the ways that count. In my second story, I try to show that not being anyone other than who you want to be won't bring you happiness.
Yet, we continue strive for those high paying jobs and fall into what is believed to bring us happiness. Why? I think its to fill a gap in our hearts. When we strive for to be something else, we lose pieces of who we truly are. Instead of trying to out-do each other, why not embrace each other and genuinely care about the people in our lives. Don't fill the gaps in your heart with material objects or ideas of happiness, fill it with pieces of others by connecting with them through love and compassion.
So, what makes life worth living? I'll leave you to answer that but in answering it be honest with yourself. To conclude I'll read something I read in one of my classes this semester:
A meteorology professor stood before his Meteorology 101 class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty glass mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a jar of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open spaces between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar and of course the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous yes.
The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and then proceeded to pour the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the grains of sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things -- your family, your partner, your health, your children, your friends, your favorite passions -- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
"The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. Play another 18.
"There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers." -- unknown
How will you fill your jar?
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