So Much More
Today, as I waited in between classes and shuffled songs on my iPod, I suddenly heard a great tune with an awesome beat. I thought to myself, I want to learn how to play the drums like that. Then I stopped everything I was doing and paused, a sudden occurrence crossing my mind.
What if we were able to learn everything we wanted to? Can you even begin to imagine what a life that would be?
I sat there, contemplating that perhaps the happiest we can be is when we learn something we have been wanting to. Perhaps some of the greatest fulfillment we can experience here on earth can be in reaching those goals. Not the major ones, like exploring New Zealand for a summer or campaigning for the presidency. I mean the things we’ve always wanted to know and to learn but have never done, either from laziness or lack of resources. I mean your more achievable goals, like learning to ride a horse, learning to paint, or learning to play those drums. Maybe the satisfaction we love in life comes not from achieving the biggest goals on our agendas, but getting a grasp and experiencing the things we’ve wanted to — the things that seem so near yet so far — yet never have. I encourage everyone, myself included, to write down just a thing or two that you want to achieve before the year ends. And next year, add a small handful of things to your list that you want to learn. Yes, you can lose 10 pounds or commit to spending more time with your family…but what do you want to learn through all that?
It’s cliche, but life goes by so quickly. Please don’t take a year for granted without experiencing the joy and satisfaction that can come from a life where everything we wanted to learn, was.
