Having lots of time on your hands is like having Thanksgiving--there's too much to digest and you end up feeling overwhelmed by it all.
I went for a two-hour walk in the forest and found myself mired in an existential crisis. Why ARE we here? Is the purpose of life to indulge your passions? Help others? Be productive? Be all you can be? Or it is something deeper, like finding God? It seems we are born, we struggle, we have some good experiences, and then we die. Can that really be all there is?
I see people around me accumulating material possessions at an astonishing rate and I can't believe that is our collective goal. I see people who spend hours in front of the tv or computer or video games and I DEFINITELY can't believe that is a valuable use of our time on Earth. I see tons of money being spent on sports or rock stars or Hollywood and I find myself turning away in horror. But that is me. I like the simpler way of life. I value wisdom and family and education. Music, dancing, photography, and travel touch my soul. Is that a life of value? It seems too selfish....
And so I continue to contemplate what will give me joy and meaning in this phase of my life and how to offer the gifts I have for the betterment of the world. Tough!
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