I feel enormous pressure to make my life meaningful, and it's pressure that I put on myself. Talking about my brother, my mom said, "I don't understand why your generation thinks you need to do something great. We never felt like that. We just lived."
It made me wonder: Why do we feel our lives need to be so extraordinary? The pressure makes so many of us terribly unhappy.
Maybe, just maybe, we need to simply live and love--just roll with the punches and make the most of now.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
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3 comments:
I often think that the lackadaisical attitude of some members of our parents' generation actually influences a lot of our behaviors.
For example, I think the high divorce rate has caused many of the non-married cohabitation situations we see.
This is no insult to the productive and wonderful members of our parents' generation. Rather, given enough examples of the empty results of selfish living, most of us feel like we have to at least try doing something better.
I did a survey in college for a psychology class and the number one worry for both Christians and non-Christians that I surveyed was "wasting my life."
You're not alone.
Good post, Sherry. You are always thought provoking. My first thought was this: it seems that many people who live extraordinary lives are the ones who just live and love every day and who don't feel a need for greatness. Ordinary, daily service, kindness, and loyalty may seem boring, but I think it usually adds up to an extraordinary impact and life. I get in the most trouble when I am looking about to do something bigger and greater, and, as a result, forget to serve and love those God has put right in front of me every day.
But, like I said, that was just my first thought.
Well said, Mark. I think that's what my mom meant. "We" feel pressure to "be great" and "they" just lived ordinary lives with a great impact. My mom lives a very meaningful life, but I don't think she sees "living" the same way that I do. I think she's probably closer to doing things right.
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