“All you
can hope for from this life is to have loved and been loved” - 47 Ronin
Image: 47 Ronin Poster
No one
reads this blog, so I can kind of write whatever comes... The above quote is a
great quote that I made a note of ages ago, finally posting now. The quote
plays on what plagues me the most, and that’s the question “what’s life all
about?”
Everyone
knows that keeping busy is the best way to push the demons of depression away.
It’s easy to keep busy, yet sometimes you’re busy and you start wondering why;
why keep myself busy, what for, why not just couch out?
I know I’m
going to die one day. Everyone dies. Nothing’s permanent. All things end.
Before I die, what do I want to achieve? Doing what will make me feel like my
life’s been worthwhile, and death welcome to me?
I’m not
a family man, I don’t have children to live for, to strive to make their life
better, it’s just me. I have a lovely girlfriend. Hmm... perhaps I’m missing
having children in my life? No, I don’t want.
Okay, so
I can work hard, pay off the mortgage (or get a bigger house and pay off that
mortgage), buy nice things, but then you die and all those possessions are for
naught, all that effort is for naught.
Not
getting very far with this train of thought.
Freedom?
Freedom
could be the answer. Free to do what you so desire. If you work hard enough and
have some luck, you can retire from the shackles of work, and be free to do
what you like (all depends on the standard of life you desire - if it’s humble
freedom comes more easily.)
Or...
You are
free!
You’re
free to jack the job in anytime you want. You’re free to kick the bucket
anytime you want. You’re free to choose life, to choose to work, to choose to
work hard and make money, to choose to live exactly as you’re living now.
My freedom:
Of my
own free will ...
... I
choose to work, work hard, be constantly curious, and make money*
... I
choose to take every day as it comes
... I
choose to embrace new experiences
... I
choose prudence
... I
choose life
*Money is not a driver though. It’s nice to
have but I don’t want expensive possessions. I don’t want possessions. My dream
is financial freedom.
And what of legacy?
Off all
the humans in history, only a tiny percent ever made some kind of impact on the
history books in a good way. Still, many people have led very very good lives,
and legacy is in that goodness. For me, I’m not a people person, I’m
introverted, and my social circle is tiny (and that’s fine by me.)
My legacy/epitaph:
- He was
a good son.
- He was
a good boyfriend (maybe one day husband).
- He was
a good employee.
- He was
as good as he could be good, in his own way.
- He
left a tidy sum to charity.