Why do we get up in the morning? What drives us on? It's more than just simple survival. It's more than going to work to get money to pay for shelter, clothing and food, an existence leavened by entertainment.
There must be more to life than that - there must be a goal, a purpose, rather than mere existence, getting to the end of the day unscathed.
"Some guys they just give up living/And start dying little by little, piece by piece," sang Bruce Springsteen. The hero of his song, Racing in the Streets, answered the existential call for purpose by competitive petrochemically fuelled thrill. One can see pleasure as purpose, although hedonism as the "egoistic pursuit of short-term gratification by indulging in sensory pleasures without regard for the consequences" doesn't do it for me.
The Japanese doctor Shigeaki Hinohara who died in 2017 at the age of 105, said that the key to longevity was having an underlying sense of purpose, to know why you get up each morning. [He also said that one common factor among centenarians, regardless of gender, nationality or race, was that none of them is overweight.] An active, questing mind, ever curious, observing the world, asking the right questions, will also be happier - even knowing that ultimate answers lay out of reach. It is, I would argue, curiosity that keeps people going into old age, giving them energy and indeed happiness.
The unfolding Universe goes hand in hand with our own personal growth; this is why I believe that one lifetime is not enough and that consciousness grows and builds as a long-term process. My consciousness is curious - what will happen next? I feel that what we experience subjectively in this lifetime passes on to build within a future entity. But just how this happens I know not; seeking greater insight into the process is purpose for me, a mystery to work through.
Keeping fit and a healthy diet is a secondary purpose linked to longevity, which itself is linked to absorbing as much understanding, wisdom and insight as possible in this lifetime, in the expectation that this will be of value in future lives! How? How does one's spiritual growth relate to the unfolding Universe? Finding out is part of the purpose that keeps me going!
[I write this, as is the case with all blog posts this Lent, in the knowledge that across the border, inhuman barbarism is taking place, atrocities that have no place in Europe in the 21st century; for a great many Ukrainians purpose means keeping loved ones alive and driving the evil invaders out of their country. May the Good Lord help them in that endeavour!
This time two years ago:
Don't Let Misfortune Catch You Unaware!
This time six years ago
HOT! (24C)
This time seven years ago:
Snowy Easter Sunday
This time nine years ago:
Look upon my lack of works and despair
This time 11 years ago:
More old-school retailing
(the old Sezam)
Easter Sunday - Lent's over
This time 13 years ago:
Węzeł Lotnisko - site cleared, ready to start construction
This time 14 years ago:
Classic Polish cars - the Polski Fiat 125P
This time 15 years ago:
Jeziorki in Google Earth
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