("Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond its imperfections." ~Unknown)It seems that I'm feeling rather philosophical today. Philosophical about happiness. Which is rare, mind you. The moment someone asks me or I ask myself whether or not I'm happy is precisely the moment I become unhappy. Dwelling on thoughts of what life ought to be is pointless and frankly exhausting! But, once in a while, sifting through that corner of your mind is healthy and cathartic.
When I was younger, my dad told me something that I had ignored until just a few years ago. It seems to happen to me a lot, doesn't it-- ignoring my dad's wisdom then realising what a fool I was for not noticing it's value!
I had come home from a day of hopeful, scientific "one day's" at school. One day, we'll cure cancer. One day, AIDS will be a thing of the past. One day, world peace will be realised. One day, world hunger will cease to exist. Then we divulged into what had to be done; theoretical speculations. It was quite an educational afternoon about what we hoped to be our bright and shining future.
So, naturally, I brought this up during dinner. He said to me, "Rachel," in a resigned sigh-like voice. "We're tiny. We're nothing."
At the time I just thought it was him talking about us (human beings) in relation to God; which, is indeed, a formidable comparison. I don't think this was a wrong interpretation. We are, in fact, teeny-tiny compared to the Almighty Lord. We are, indeed, nothing compared to His majesty (yet loved and cherished by Him. What grace!).
But what I came to understand a few years ago was this: accepting this fact is the key to happiness.
What he wanted me to remember was that out lives are merely a blip in the grand time line of this Universe. Even the greatest deeds accomplished by mankind are simply pin pricks. My dad didn't mean that we aren't capable of great things. We are quite capable with the help of God. He didn't mean don't try. We must try. We owe it to God to do so. He didn't mean that life is inherently pointless. Our point in life is to serve the Lord in whatever way he wishes.
What he was saying was that once you build in front of yourself twenty Everests, you will 1) be unhappy and 2) never achieve your goals. Tiny people take tiny steps. Once you attempt to take giant steps, you'll rip your pants.
'Get rid of that chip on your shoulder because you're not important enough to have one' is essentially what my dad was saying. Realise how little and unimportant you are. Surrender yourself to greatness of reality and be content with what 'little' you were designed to do. Know that whatever you end up accomplishing through this humbling realisation is more than what the other, arrogant people have tried and failed at.
I'm not under the delusion that I'll change this world with my life. I'll touch a few lives and I pray everyday that the lives I touch will be influenced for the better. If, in the end, the world decides that I did change it for the better, that's just icing on the cake.
Changing the world isn't up to me, you or any mortal being. It's up to God.
I hope this didn't sound like some sort of cop-out because I didn't mean it that way. Thinking yourself as too important is, apart from being a symptom of narcissism, a recipe for unhappiness. That is all.
Thoughts? Comments? Dissent? I'm game!
-R
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