It’s good to be writing for Shield Hall again. It feels like it has been so long since I have had the time to just sit and meditate and write something other than my novel… or a damn school paper. I was thinking of what to write about when earlier this week it came in a question both simple and profound, and yet all together complicated in the end: what is it people truly want in life? We all have individual callings, dreams, we create our own red road; but certainly as a Human person there must be some commonly sought aspects of life that we all desire to attain, that we need. Some people, in our age of commercialism, where wealth can often be more of a judge of character, than well… character, they can lose sight of these inner motives for existence. When it comes down to it though, what I seek, what all people truly desire are things that can’t be physically touched at all. On our road of life we are all drawn to have acceptance, love, and purpose. These are the fruits of life, these are what the soul truly desires. What makes life, life.
Humans are social animals, in some way shape or form, we need a pack to belong to. We yearn for acceptance. It is natural that people want to be around others, we form friendships, we live in family units, we bond together, and are there for one another. Relationships are also a way to judge a person’s character, ‘you know what kind of man a person is by the company they keep’. A truly close and fulfilling relationship of any kind is one where each person accepts the other for who they are, what they stand for. Acceptance is in many ways is an affirmation of one’s identity. People desire true relationships because that means people accept them for who they truly are, these people care about this individual, they find worth in his personhood and company, his presence carries value in another’s life. This acceptance proves to the individual that they fit into this world; their individuality is a positive thing that others place value in. While not everyone fits in everywhere and with everyone, numbers don’t matter. It’s those close to us that give us true worth, they care about us, and they are gift to be around. They are our mentors, close friends, and family. In a world mostly of strangers it’s these people who most define who we become and what we value.
Love I find is very similar to acceptance, a different branch of the concept if you will. Let’s face it, everyone has at one point dreamed of a perfect love. Not everyone carries on a romantic ideal, but in some way I believe everyone is searching for that second half of themselves. I am. Yet love comes in many forms. There is most obviously the love of family, the backbone. They teach you how to love, and how it feels to be cherished by someone. Friendship is a form of love too. When friends are there for each other, lifting one another up, inspiring, and bringing faith to their friend- this is love as well. Love is the earnest caring for another person. We all need to be loved, and in order to be loved one must have an open heart to love. True love of any kind, is one that values the individual’s being, love of the person. The romantic love is no different.
Everyone has a purpose. It is what gives our life meaning, it distinguishes the individual from all other individuals. Every man dreams his life will have great impact, and so he searches and searches for his purpose in life. One’s purpose if he so chooses is his calling, something higher than himself, a means to do great things. Again relates to one’s identity, as we all seek to distinguish ourselves as individuals. We all want to carve our own path, and we hope that it’s a road others will look upon and smile. The purpose of one’s life is so important that it can take a lifetime to discover, and seem almost impossible to reach. A mountain. And yet when this purpose, this true purpose is in sight, we climb. The true test of a person is how hard they climb, past the crags, and drops, and rocks life can throw, and reach the top- their purpose, their dreams. These people are the heroes of our time, and among their other purposes is to inspire us to seek our own path, and to work ever harder to be a positive force in this world. Such inspiration is selfless and is something any man or woman in any position can do for others. “The wise man works unselfishly for the good of all the world.” (The Bhagavad-Gita) I have noticed that life truly matters because of those around us and how we interact with those put in our path. Our individual purpose can also be seen in our impact on another’s life. I know I would not be who I am without the guidance and friendship I’ve received from my family, friends, and mentors. One life effects another, we must all be that positive force to another life.
Life is beautiful. And hard. Nothing hurts more than feeling like an outcast, or being unaccepted by those you should be. Nothing is more saddening than feeling alone. There is nothing more disheartening than wondering about your place in the world, or where your path will lead. And yet when one does achieve these things, that is truly a happy life. These three bridges we all must cross in our lives can be hard to achieve, sometimes they can be harder than others, but on the other side are true marvels. For nothing is greater than love, and having true relationships that accept you, and having a path you wish to steer your life in. Very hard, but worth the struggle. I imagine that life without struggle would not be life at all but a blissful dream. And yet when life is good, it is a dream still. I end encouraging my readers to have faith against the struggle, trust in yourselves, carpe diem! Don’t just walk the road of life, live it, work through the hard times, and good will come. Be a hand to help someone up, a shoulder to lean on and a listner, a guide to someone in need, and it will be returned to you in kind.
