I saw a comment made recently regarding (not, gross generalisation) all American movies being disgusting because of all the alcohol and swearing and "fornicating". At some point during the the discussion that followed a few people mentioned the good ole days and how everything is terrible nowadays. As far as I am concerned, if that is your opinion you may as well just give up on life because you will never have it your way and thus probably never live a 100% happy, fulfilled existence. Life is constantly moving forward, and by constantly moaning about how terrible life is you will get nowhere. Sadly, with each generation comes a new bunch of complainers and rose-tinted-glasses-wearing adults and elderly people.
In contrast to the older people who long for the past, there are the young who seem not to be content with what the present holds. Angst is understandable, but some people are just never happy. I live in a place that is stuck in the past and I can empathise when friends of mine say that they look forward to moving away, but then there are the people who feel that their whole world will end if their plan to get away goes a little pear-shaped. Is it really so difficult to embrace the present and enjoy the little things? Life is rarely perfect so you may as well make the best of your situation. Its people like these who will become the unhappy, unfulfilled people of tomorrow.
This is getting a little repetitive. I suppose what I'm really trying to say is stop whining about what you don't have and what doesn't exist and appreciate life for the wonderful thing that it is. It isn't a gift, although it's about the closest damn thing you'll get to a miracle and you've only got one shot at it.
“Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think.” -Horace
The issue is not that anything around us has changed. I assume, relatively speaking, that everything is fairly similar.
ReplyDeleteWe however, change. We grow up and we gain new responsibilities with every passing year and the time (perhaps even the desire) for what we consider "fun" fades away.
There's always going to be shit things in life. 100 years ago, racism was a very violent, very wide spread but thoroughly accepted problem. Now we're in a position where it's wrong to say anything about a certain person's creed or colour.
We're also not allowed to play conkers any more; firemen can't save people's lives because they perfectly adequate equipment that they have is subject to certain rules.
The point is, life sucks. We just don't realise it until we're at an age where we have to. It's just a case of dealing with the crap stuff when it arrives and holding onto whatever specks of good we get long enough to appreciate it.
That's a very pessimistic take on the issue. Life is only what you take it to be, and if you think that life sucks then that's the only way that you'll ever see it, and you will, for the most part, be too aware of that to appreciate some things.
ReplyDeleteI've always hated it when people say that. "Life is only what you make it". Not it isn't, the people around you have so much more power to change than you alone do.
ReplyDeleteIt's simple psychology that the way other people think about you affect the way you think about yourself, and that's just one example of why I'm not the protagonist in the journey of my own happiness.
I'm not saying I hate my life, I like a lot of the things and people that I'm involved with - my point is that there's more bad than good. I suppose it may be one of the reasons why good FEELS so good.
I read a quote earlier, in my search for a quote to sum up my opinion about this.
ReplyDelete“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.” (Charles R. Swindoll)
That is a pretty accurate summation of what I think.
great maxim. roll with the serendipity.
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