Observations

When Henry David Thoreau said that most men lead lives of quiet desperation, I think he was giving mankind too much credit. I think that for the most part – happiness comes in the little moments – a good steak, a good movie – a nice night out with friends. I don’t think that most humans really ask the deep questions – because in the long run, the answer doesn’t really make a difference when you are in a long line at the supermarket and some jerk three ahead of you is arguing about the cost of green beans. No the deep questions aren’t really what life is – life is so much more mundane really. Changing diapers, feeding a family, not being late for car pool. There isn’t much time to ponder or even remember that there is more to life than what seems to occupy our every living moment. But once in a while, if we are open to it and not distracted by the foolishness that is constantly drumming against our brains, we can catch a glimpse – a fleeting moment watching a magnificent sunset or a graceful eagle or a child painting. There is immortality in these moments. As there is in Shabbat if you do it right.

I’ve noticed that there are 3 kinds of people in this world; People who are satisfied with the steak and movie; People who are constantly searching for more meaning and trying all kinds of experimental ways to get it and thirdly, people who have managed to strike a balance between the two. The first 2 are in trouble really – the satisfied person because they don’t have the intelligence and sensitivity to know that we have a purpose on this earth aside from consuming it and the dissatisfied person because he or she cannot appreciate or take pleasure in the things that actually comprise our lives. The goal is to not get caught up in the business of life as if it is the purpose of life. And to achieve spiritual satisfaction by imbuing our experiences with spirituality – like we do by taking a particular day a week and calling it the Sabbath and doing things differently on that day.

The problem with people who distract themselves with the mundane and everyday features of living is that they confuse earning a living, raising children, paying a mortgage – with the actual purpose of life which is Tikun Olam. They are so busy with making their lives as comfortable as possible that they have nothing left over. It’s sad really – because one day you wake up and say “is this all there is?” And you have cosmically wasted the potential of a truly incredible creation – yourself – in the pursuit of nothing very important. It is like using a G5 Mac for the exclusive purpose of typing your grocery list. All of our incredible features – our strength, our endurance, our waterproof skin, our beating hearts, our ability to feel compassion – all wasted in the act of paying off a bank loan.

So what do we do? We have to face the fact that we DO have a purpose beyond consuming and propagating; that we ARE responsible to do SOMETHING to make this world a better place. Each of us owes this to the generations before us and those that will come after us. So how do we do it, you ask? I guess each one of us must choose our own way – do volunteer work, help people, go out of your way, be a great example, do something for someone. Be kind. Be hospitable. I think that you have to search your self to find the best way for you to make this word a better place. And it doesn’t have to be the whole world. It could be as small as one person.

But the important thing is to have the awareness that we must go beyond ourselves - that there is a purpose for us beyond our own comforts. We all get caught up in the mundane - we have to do something particular to snap ourselves into reality every now and then. But mostly a person has to be aware of it. And desire to do better. We are not required to complete the work. But we are required to start it.