In my post from last week right before I went on vacation (July 7), I alluded to enjoying school partly because it had well-defined beginning and ending points with a clearly defined final objective: graduation. Additionally, this all took place within a relatively short time frame (four years for some, seven for others but we usually call them doctors) which made staying focused on the purpose easier. Starting with kindergarten, college was the culmination of 17 years of living like that. Go to school, get good grades, graduate, and go to the next level. The problem is that that ended.
Now, we (the royal we) ponder what to do with the rest of our lives. Growing up, it was pretty much a given that I would go to college. The first 22 years of my life, while filled with plenty of choices of all stripes, had a single over-arching theme: get a college degree. Life was defined. It was easy and comfortable, possibly too easy and too comfortable. Now it is undefined.
Don't worry, this isn't some post about purpose and cries of "oh whatever will I do with my life" and that sort of blather. Well, actually it is, sort of, maybe. It depends on how you look at it. Try squinting a little more. Anyway, most people need definition in their lives, that overarching theme that enables them to get up each day. Otherwise, it's a life spent reacting instead of initiating. However, most people are not able to define their purpose on their own. It remains to be seen whether I can. The point (finally!) is that while I would take great solace in latching onto some pre-arranged program/idea/theme to give me purpose, I should absolutely hate it.
I should hate the idea of letting something or someone else define my, your, anyone's existence. It does give people a sense of purpose, but that purpose is not their own. It means giving up control. It means sacrificing free-will, creativity, and initiative for security. The security and peace of mind of feeling fulfilled, but at the cost of not being one's own master. Plus, look at what it does to people. It turns some of the best, those who could have had potential out on their own, into far too competent lieutenants of causes I almost always find repellant. They have the belonging of their groups, but will never truly challenge their beliefs or their comfort levels. They have security.
But I don't need security, I need challenge.
1 comment:
Go for it. No need to listen to your friends or your parents, especailly the MOM. You are a big man now, follow your heart and meet the challenge head on. Just don't fall into the drudgery and be a conformist. So far you have shown what you are capable of. You also know what you are capable of. Do something great for yourself first. You will have plenty of opportunity to do something great for others.
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