Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Life Like Falling Sand
"...and every time i try
to pick it up like falling sand
as fast as i pick it up
it runs away through my clutching hands
but there's nothing else i can really do
there's nothing else i can really do
at all..." ~ Cure/A Letter to Elise
Even though this song is essentially a ballad, its ending lyrics echoed unceasingly in my head as I reflected on my life this morning. The image of falling sand seared my mind.
Has your life ever sunk so low that every little happiness seems ersatz, every little motivation seems transient, and every little encouragement seems like stinging criticism? Oh, you tried to pick up your life and move on yet, it runs through your hands like falling sand? Extreme despondence, painful living, perpetual pessimism? Gosh, I've been through all that - sometimes still going through patches of it - withdrawal effects of nicotine/alcohol and all.
Was just reading TIME about happiness. Well, according to some top-notch psychologists, real happiness stems from 3 important areas - pleasure, engagement and meaning - in my own interpretation: pleasure (10%), engagement (30%), meaning (60%).
Pleasures - money, fun and all, but how much happiness can that bring you?
Active engagement in family activities, friends, love, kinship - that may certainly increase happiness a fair bit.
Meaning (of life) - what's the purpose of me living? What can I do to find meaning? Real meaning gives real happiness.
Man was made to uncover the meaning of life - falling sand or not - and through the process of searching and self-reflecting, discover his Maker and his eternal abode.
to pick it up like falling sand
as fast as i pick it up
it runs away through my clutching hands
but there's nothing else i can really do
there's nothing else i can really do
at all..." ~ Cure/A Letter to Elise
Even though this song is essentially a ballad, its ending lyrics echoed unceasingly in my head as I reflected on my life this morning. The image of falling sand seared my mind.
Has your life ever sunk so low that every little happiness seems ersatz, every little motivation seems transient, and every little encouragement seems like stinging criticism? Oh, you tried to pick up your life and move on yet, it runs through your hands like falling sand? Extreme despondence, painful living, perpetual pessimism? Gosh, I've been through all that - sometimes still going through patches of it - withdrawal effects of nicotine/alcohol and all.
Was just reading TIME about happiness. Well, according to some top-notch psychologists, real happiness stems from 3 important areas - pleasure, engagement and meaning - in my own interpretation: pleasure (10%), engagement (30%), meaning (60%).
Pleasures - money, fun and all, but how much happiness can that bring you?
Active engagement in family activities, friends, love, kinship - that may certainly increase happiness a fair bit.
Meaning (of life) - what's the purpose of me living? What can I do to find meaning? Real meaning gives real happiness.
Man was made to uncover the meaning of life - falling sand or not - and through the process of searching and self-reflecting, discover his Maker and his eternal abode.
# posted by Guan and Ad : 8:52 AM
