Amidst all the mass media, mass reproduction (eugenics/cloning), mass producing, mass ‘everythingness’, people must find it difficult to fully comprehend what is essentially good and moral, and what is their purpose in all this ‘mass-ness’. It has become exceedingly hard for people to prioritize and maintain inner balance and essentially enjoy a high quality, purpose-driven lifestyle.
In between all the euthanasia, abortion, in vitro, organ transplants, genetic engineering, bioethics, and everything of social and controversial value that exists, society is demanding more from us than ever and the toss-up between what society wants with what one needs is a balancing act that requires continual reassessment and change in order to advance and still enjoy life.
Life a nd decision making has become so intrinsically complex that I wonder if it is at all possible to decipher one’s purpose and still maintain enjoyment. With daily accidents happening, circumstances robbing people of their happiness or ongoing disappointments in people’s lives, life seems senseless, worthless, meaningless and purposeless and no universal rule exists to restore the madness and haphazardness as it unfolds. However, I have found that though I am ignorant to my ultimate purpose, the journey is bitter-sweet. Neither do I know my purpose in the grand scheme of life nor do I know the recipe for the balance and path of the sweet ‘nectar’ of life, but I do know the it exists and one wants to be able to enjoy life and suck the ‘nectar’ out of it whilst in search of purpose.
I often ponder what my purpose might be, and I question whether or not what I do is even
worthwhile…mother of five, and housewifery…and generally I come up with no real aim, no purpose, no direction, nothing, other than a sense of broad tolerance and good will to all, a nameless ‘fellowship’, a vague sort of goal that involves doing something that may benefit others. Surprisingly, this kind of open-ended purpose produces clear thinking and gives me a certain peace, happiness and joy so much that it has enabled and enables me to get doses of the ‘nectar’ and enjoy the simplest, littlest, tiniest things, cheerfully, at any present moment in time and throughout life. So whilst I know nothing of purpose or life, which sometimes seems unbearable, I know the ‘nectar’ that exists is attainable and I would want to share with you some semblance of its possibilities.
I would imagine that whilst in search of purpose, or not, the opportunities in life are infinite and it would therefore become necessary to be wary of the dilemma of over-doing, imbalance, excess, deficiency, and this requires a sort of victory over self that empowers you to choose wisely. What is enough, too much or too little, top priority, can only ever be decided by you as you know yourself best. Therefore, en sojourn, there are in fact some rules as the drama could have one feeling threatened, wired, angry and dizzy with clouded visions, and can weaken the power to act and enjoy. In order to live well, and enjoy the sweet taste of life, one needs to always be in a state of clear thinking so as to be able to develop and implement insights, goals, essentially purpose.
The pace at which change is occurring is rapid and unregulated, people are unequal, but three things remain constant in successfully advancing with ‘bigger steps’: ‘justice, courage and temperance’. These allow for sensible, decision making…easier said than done. Living in the world, rubbing shoulders with all walks of life, anger is bound to surface. These fine qualities of nobleness will indisputably be undermined and dismantled by anger, which triggers bad behaviour, and completely distorts and undermines reasoning. Anger can always successfully be conquered by empathizing with one’s adversaries and learning to control one’s passion. So it is significant to disregard pettiness, and master the art of maintaining inner harmony. This self-mastery produces a certain finesse and ‘Aristotleness’ that is unmatched.
I have been blessed to cross paths with a very few people who have achieved this level of self perfection. This sort of person can be best described as a well crafted piece of art, a work of excellence. Though we may never be perfect so to speak, we can all certainly strive toward it to taste the ‘nectar’ of life, which can be attained through knowledge/intellect and control of emotions.
Whilst I do not fully understand the dynamics of the world, and life itself, I would still like to suggest that we all take good stock of our lives. There is a certain amount of fearfulness lingering that ties us all to the ground, alters and manipulates our thinking and the anger being generated limits us from the possibilities of truly connecting and engaging with one another. In our quests for purpose, a sort of formlessness is necessary, allowing for empowerment by independence, education and ‘thinking for oneself’ as it were in one’s, to quote from Hinduism, ‘path of action, path of knowledge, and/or path of devotion’. In this way we can all live well and taste the ‘nectar’, while in search of purpose.
by Simone Galy-Laquis