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jmfargoMost people don't really do much with their lives. It's not a bad thing, or a good thing, their lives don't touch many others, and they live it. It's just the way it is.
Think about it. Most people get up in the morning, have their coffee, go to work, have their lunch, go home, eat dinner, maybe watch some tv and go to bed. Aside from an escape on the weekends, which is often spent cleaning up their living space or doing day-to-day things they couldn't get to during the week, that is their life. Vacations? Sure, a bit of fun, but fun doesn't mean they're actually doing something.
This is why when someone does something that's off that beaten track, we hold them in awe, or contempt. When someone climbs Everest, or bounces back from lung, stomach, brain, and testicular cancer to win the Tour de France 7 times in a row, we look at them and see someone amazing.
And they are.
Amazingness, though, makes me curious. Is it inborn? Is it something in us that pushes us past the day-to-day, or is it something that others bring out in us, nurture versus nature? Is it a higher power? Some say so, but that faith in the higher power has to come from within regardless of whatever else is going on, so where does that come from?
If you could break free of the day-to-day cycle that almost everyone I've ever met is a part of, what would you do? How would you amaze the world?
Think about it. Most people get up in the morning, have their coffee, go to work, have their lunch, go home, eat dinner, maybe watch some tv and go to bed. Aside from an escape on the weekends, which is often spent cleaning up their living space or doing day-to-day things they couldn't get to during the week, that is their life. Vacations? Sure, a bit of fun, but fun doesn't mean they're actually doing something.
This is why when someone does something that's off that beaten track, we hold them in awe, or contempt. When someone climbs Everest, or bounces back from lung, stomach, brain, and testicular cancer to win the Tour de France 7 times in a row, we look at them and see someone amazing.
And they are.
Amazingness, though, makes me curious. Is it inborn? Is it something in us that pushes us past the day-to-day, or is it something that others bring out in us, nurture versus nature? Is it a higher power? Some say so, but that faith in the higher power has to come from within regardless of whatever else is going on, so where does that come from?
If you could break free of the day-to-day cycle that almost everyone I've ever met is a part of, what would you do? How would you amaze the world?
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Date: 2008-07-25 06:28 pm (UTC)I've been asking myself that second question a lot lately. Too much of my life lately is filled with things that make me not enjoy life. Which is never a good thing. I had a nice long conversation with my wife last night talking about stress, and my feelings, and things I typically just bottle up and deal with later.
After talking with her I realized that I had reverted back to my teenage years. What do I mean? When I was younger I had a LOT of unmitigated rage. No real rhyme or reason to it, just...rage, anger, and pure frustration at the things I wanted but couldn't figure out how to achieve. In my early 20's I realized this was futile, wasteful energy that could be redirected elsewhere in a more constructive manner.
Lately I've been having more of this rage fill my life. When I was younger I had an outlet in martial arts wherein I could physically exhaust myself in order to work it out. Now that I'm older I don't. So to help my wife signed us up for tennis lessons. For two weeks I'll get to hit small yellow balls as hard as I can, and sprint back and forth chasing after the ones hit at me. I'm hoping this will help.
But it did get me thinking. The weather's been crap this summer and I haven't done a lot of outdoor stuff. Which has always been a way to help focus my mind. Like hiking. I haven't done that yet this summer and it's a missing factor of my life.
To answer the questions though, I'd focus on the things I enjoy doing. I'd take the opportunity to learn new things. I'd spend time really living in the moment and do what I could to help those around me. I've always felt I was destined to do something (I think everyone feels this at some point in their life) and by helping others realize their dreams I think in that way I'd amaze the world.