by Christian Go
The first thing which crossed my mind when the last discussion was going on was how my own mom did not want to use expensive plates and would always keep them for "future use". This so called "future use" would never occur. The purpose of a plate is to be used for eating and not merely for show or for safe keeping and so I did not quite see the point in it. Then it came to me that we have become so materialistic in life that we tend to forget that everything we purchase and everything we obtain are only the means to an end. We want to be happy, we want what's best for our very own families but in the end, we tend to forget that it is the goal we want to achieve. Soon, it will become all about finding the right job and making money and we forget that money is only a means to an end and its not the end itself. I think that is why despite knowing that something will disappear and vanish through time, we tend to grasp so hard on to something. We forget that it is only a means and that there are other means towards that happiness we seek in life. We attach our means of happiness to that one thing, that we forget we can achieve it elsewhere. I think this goes back to how Marcel described the broken world we live in today.
Beyond this, the truth is that life is such a fleeting thing. The reality is that people die everyday without us knowing and who knows we could be next. But the point of it is that we should not be holding on to dear life and decide not to experience the outside, not to experience the world for that matter. If life is to end, then why not make the most of it. And when life is to end, we can always say at least I lived a good one.
I agree with what was said above. Going through a couple of blog posts earlier, I felt like this was something I could easily relate to.
ReplyDeleteI think people tend to "take care too much" of certain things because they fear that they might break it or lose it. I think this is something that people should try and avoid. We scare ourselves, fearing for so many things too much that we forget to realize why those things are around. We end up depriving ourselves of enjoying or perhaps experiencing certain things. I guess, in a way, I'm trying to say that we ought to learn to let go of things we fear to lose the most.
The same goes for life. Christian is right in saying that people can die in a blink of an eye. It's sad that people forget this sometimes. We're so busy making our lives "wonderful" that we work and work, onward with the hustle and bustle that we no longer realize why we're even around. We are around because we are alive. We are around not to let simple institutions run our lives but to experience everything there is.
People have to see that it is not these institutions that define them. Sure, it's easy to accept it just like that, but you aren't fully living if you think your office, the church, your school or any other group in society is what makes you who you are.
In the end, it is just you. It is you, and how you deal with everything and every human being around you. You can't keep being afraid of stepping out of your bubble and taking a little risk, that would mean you aren't really living. You're probably just surviving. I agree with Christian when he said that we ought to make the most out of what we have. Making the most out of what we have, is experiencing things and not fearing anything. Just go with it.
Mikee De Ocampo
Ph101 - C
I agree with the simple situation pointed above. I can somehow relate when it comes to keeping things for "future use." I save up a dress, a pair of shoes or a cute little notebook and try to wait for that "right time" for them to actually be able to serve their purpose well. However, doing so- waiting that is- has led me to forget about such material possessions and rediscover them only when it is already late (that is, when the dress does not anymore fit, the shoes are in a condition less than perfect and the notebook is busy collecting dust instead of meaningful handwritten accounts).
ReplyDeleteI think what's wrong about this practice is that it keeps us waiting for that right time, hoping that the perfect opportunity would present itself. But, what if that right time has long since passed? What if the opportunity has already been missed?
As cliche as it may sound, this is the reason why we must strive to live each day as if it was our last. We know not our time so before it is too late, why not make the most out of what is given to us. After all, it is better to make wonderful memories that sulk in a corner filled with regrets.
Kara Leongson
PH101-C
My mom also does the same thing. It's true that most of us have these moments in our lives which is why I think it is really important for us to just live in the present moment instead of just hoping that the "right" time will come. Instead of being so materialistic, i think it's more important to just enjoy the experiences that we have and be more aware of the things around us.
ReplyDeleteKat Balonan
Ph 101 A