Post by simplyKATEY. on Dec 29, 2007 19:24:54 GMT -5
My friend Jeni wrote this and for some reason, I felt the need to repost it on here.
A few months ago, a girl that I have never met that lives in Arizona asked me a question. She reads my blogs because she cares about what I think (which makes me feel slightly better lol) and she messaged me and asked me what I thought the meaning of life was. At the time, I have no recollection of what I said, but I had no idea. I think I figured it out though.
The meaning of life varies from person to person. To one individual, the most important thing would be to make money for 3 and a half lifetimes, to another to save a tree that they grew up with in the neighborhood park. However, I am pretty sure I have figured out my own meaning.
I used to love life. I had my good days and bad days, but everything evened out. Even moreso, I somehow knew that the next day was going to be worth getting to. I knew somehwere in the back of my mind that the next day something better was going to happen that would make my troubles seem less sharp. When you're a kid, you see every day as a new adventure. Playing in the sandbox was the meaning of joy, and pretending that you were a princess or a warrior was simple and pure happiness. Don't you ever wonder why you aren't as happy as you were when you were little?
Children are colorblind. They can't tell the difference between a black child, a white child, an asian child, or a hispanic child. They are ignorant to the worries and troubles of the unnecssarily overwhelming world around them. They take the time to learn, and they're so excited about learning that 2+2 is 4, or that red and blue makes a totally different color. They take the time to admire the colors and the different shapes of the things we take for granted everyday. The don't care about sales on designer shoes, they don't care if they aren't model material, they don't care about if they look cool enough, or any of that junk.
Children are blind to what we call reality, but they are so much wiser than us. They believe in Santa Clause, and that's okay. We should all believe in him--he is the spirit of Christmas. They believe in the Easter bunny, they believe in the Tooth Fairy. Believing in things better than they everyday norm is the only thing that makes life worth living. Children don't know that they are setting an example for us, because they are always told people are setting examples for them. They are the best example of joy, worth, and life.
If you looked at a ladybug, you would recognize that it was what it was and move on, not even remembering your encounter. A child plays with it, befriends it, and charishes the memory of playing with the ladybug for the rest of the day if not longer. I used to look around me, and everything was so amazing. I didn't know how things worked, I didn't know the names of the flowers, I didn't know why the rain fell or why anyone would ever lie to their friend. Now I do. I have learned so much and lost even more.
I know the names of the dandilions, lilies, carnations, and petunias. But I never really SEE them, I never take the time to take them in. I learned why the rain fell, and I never play in it anymore. I learned that people can rearely be trusted, and now I'm losing everything.
If anything, adults are the naive ones. We have lost everything that should be important. Everything has become about fads and materialism rather than caring, learning, trying, failing, having fun...
So, to the girl that made me think: Here's my answer. Life is not just about being alive, living for years and years, or being completely healthy, or having the most of this or that. No, life is about living. Everyone forgets what living is. I know that won't change, and I know that my ranting wont' change the world, but I know that I can change someone, if not just myself, and that is changing someone else's world. Children may be blind, but they see everything that we have lost sight of.
------
A few months ago, a girl that I have never met that lives in Arizona asked me a question. She reads my blogs because she cares about what I think (which makes me feel slightly better lol) and she messaged me and asked me what I thought the meaning of life was. At the time, I have no recollection of what I said, but I had no idea. I think I figured it out though.
The meaning of life varies from person to person. To one individual, the most important thing would be to make money for 3 and a half lifetimes, to another to save a tree that they grew up with in the neighborhood park. However, I am pretty sure I have figured out my own meaning.
I used to love life. I had my good days and bad days, but everything evened out. Even moreso, I somehow knew that the next day was going to be worth getting to. I knew somehwere in the back of my mind that the next day something better was going to happen that would make my troubles seem less sharp. When you're a kid, you see every day as a new adventure. Playing in the sandbox was the meaning of joy, and pretending that you were a princess or a warrior was simple and pure happiness. Don't you ever wonder why you aren't as happy as you were when you were little?
Children are colorblind. They can't tell the difference between a black child, a white child, an asian child, or a hispanic child. They are ignorant to the worries and troubles of the unnecssarily overwhelming world around them. They take the time to learn, and they're so excited about learning that 2+2 is 4, or that red and blue makes a totally different color. They take the time to admire the colors and the different shapes of the things we take for granted everyday. The don't care about sales on designer shoes, they don't care if they aren't model material, they don't care about if they look cool enough, or any of that junk.
Children are blind to what we call reality, but they are so much wiser than us. They believe in Santa Clause, and that's okay. We should all believe in him--he is the spirit of Christmas. They believe in the Easter bunny, they believe in the Tooth Fairy. Believing in things better than they everyday norm is the only thing that makes life worth living. Children don't know that they are setting an example for us, because they are always told people are setting examples for them. They are the best example of joy, worth, and life.
If you looked at a ladybug, you would recognize that it was what it was and move on, not even remembering your encounter. A child plays with it, befriends it, and charishes the memory of playing with the ladybug for the rest of the day if not longer. I used to look around me, and everything was so amazing. I didn't know how things worked, I didn't know the names of the flowers, I didn't know why the rain fell or why anyone would ever lie to their friend. Now I do. I have learned so much and lost even more.
I know the names of the dandilions, lilies, carnations, and petunias. But I never really SEE them, I never take the time to take them in. I learned why the rain fell, and I never play in it anymore. I learned that people can rearely be trusted, and now I'm losing everything.
If anything, adults are the naive ones. We have lost everything that should be important. Everything has become about fads and materialism rather than caring, learning, trying, failing, having fun...
So, to the girl that made me think: Here's my answer. Life is not just about being alive, living for years and years, or being completely healthy, or having the most of this or that. No, life is about living. Everyone forgets what living is. I know that won't change, and I know that my ranting wont' change the world, but I know that I can change someone, if not just myself, and that is changing someone else's world. Children may be blind, but they see everything that we have lost sight of.