What matters in life?

MarkD

MarkD

Keeper of the Hounds & Garden
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
I came across this short video and thought I'd seen a thread here devoted to ones philosophy of life on which to share it. I guess that could have been the title here too but I prefer that it not seem stuffy, formal or remote. I do think the message here is a good one. Life is finite, you have to prioritize.

 

Make the best of the hand you're dealt, be kind to others, and don't sweat the small stuff.
The old adage still applies: .... accept things you can't change, have courage to change the things you can, and wisdom to know the difference.
I also like the message of the philosophy professor illustrating the important things in life using the glass jar and filling it with rocks, pebbles, sand, and water.
 
Maybe this fits this thread.
A well-known speaker started off his seminar
by holding up a $20.00 bill.
In the room of 200, he asked,
"Who would like this $20 bill?"
Hands started going up.

He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.
He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill.

He then asked, "Who still wants it?"
Still the hands were up in the air.


Well, he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground
and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.
He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty.

"Now, who still wants it?"
Still the hands went into the air.

My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson.

No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it
because it did not decrease in value.
It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives,

we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.

We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased,
you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE.

You are special- Don't EVER forget it." Count your blessings, not your problems.
 
Capt Lightning said:
Life is full of totally random and unpredictable events and your priorities can change from day to day. Live the life that suits you.
Click to expand...

Yes, I think if we do approach life as being capable of surprising us we are much better off. When we regard the world as a predictable machine and ourselves as entities apart from it and everyone else appreciation goes down.
 
There are physical limitations, societal norms, and historical context. Individuals are free to make choices despite these restrictions. But, freedom isn't absolute, and choices are made within a specific context that includes societal norms and personal limitations. :)
 
Capt Lightning said:
Life is full of totally random and unpredictable events and your priorities can change from day to day. Live the life that suits you.
Click to expand...
MarkD said:
Yes, I think if we do approach life as being capable of surprising us we are much better off. When we regard the world as a predictable machine and ourselves as entities apart from it and everyone else appreciation goes down.
Click to expand...

Granted. Particularly Capt Lightning's final sentence.

However, not every surprise warrants a total change of one's priorities, and very often not for long term: A flat tire; bad weather; a family member, friend, even a stranger or animal (domestic or wild) in dire need of help can cause delays or rescheduling of something. For that matter so can an unexpected visit or phone call from someone dear to you, or a grandchild needing to share some thoughts or 'discoveries' (rocks, flowers, ideas, concepts that are old news to you but new to them). One reason i always leave early for appointments is so i have some 'discretionary' time. i generally take a book with me too so that if there are no surprises--i have something to read. Either outside the building weather permitting or in a waiting room.

But some things in life are inevitable if not predictable moment to moment or day to day. Unless born into a wealthy family, or severely disabled--we will for a substantial period of our lives need to earn an income to pay for living expenses. Our bodies will have needs of various kinds and suffer illness and injury. We will, most of us hope, live to the
average age, but there will be physical changes that may limit what we CAN do or HOW we do it. Darwin never said it was the strongest who survive, he said it was the most adaptable. Learning to not give negative, short term 'surprises', the interruptions of your movement toward the life you wish to make for yourself more time and energy than they require is good lesson, hopefully learned earlier rather than later in life.
 
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MACKTEXAS said:
The average life expressed in terms of 4000 weeks doesn't sound very long. Make wise choices.
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To us it doesn't sound long because anyone on this forum is over half thru them, some of us more than 3/4 thru.
But to a teenager? Consider that an 18 yr old (voting age, able to join military and can drink in many states) has a year and 12 weeks to go before they reach the 1,000 mark.

The part i put in bold--sounds like good advice except, most of us need to make some foolish ones to learn what 'wise' choices are and we might not all define 'wise choice' the same way. If you learn from your mistakes, and don't repeat them is a good thing in my book. The most important thing to learn is weighing potential results (labeled consequences if negative) and deciding if you can live with those results/consequences or not.
 
Paco Dennis said:
There are physical limitations, societal norms, and historical context. Individuals are free to make choices despite these restrictions. But, freedom isn't absolute, and choices are made within a specific context that includes societal norms and personal limitations. :)
Click to expand...
My Dad always said consider the 'consequences' (possible results--good and bad) of your choices, decide if you can live with them. If whatever you achieve or gain is worth the result, even when it is 'bad')--Go for it. i've tended to live by that, and i have very few regrets, wouldn't change a thing about this lifetime despite the harshness of some of the lessons.
 
Isaac: "I like cream pie."
Oliver: "What kind of cream pie?"
Isaac: "Cream pie with whipped cream."
Oliver: "I mean what kind of pie is that, you big stupid? I like chocolate cream pie."
Isaac: ((( splat! ))) "Did I say I like to eat it?"

Don't make assumptions!
 

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