There are many thoughts that haunt the average human, and one of the most prevalent goes something like this: What do I have to show for my life? Did I make a difference? What will my life have meant?
This mindset is summed up nicely during the concluding minutes of Saving Private Ryan, when the dying Tom Hanks’ character whispers into the ear of the young Ryan, “Earn this.” Translation: “We better not have died in vain. Do something really impressive with yourself.” Imagine living your life with that kind of pressure.
And here’s the thing: most of us do. We just don’t have the memory of a bullet-riddled commanding officer making it so dramatically obvious.
No, for most of us the pressure is much more subtle. From an early age our well-intentioned parents, society, and culture remind us of the importance of making something of ourselves, of achieving fame and fortune. The world demonstrates in ways large and small the difference between the winners and the losers. It is one thing to be barked at by the teacher, quite another to be summoned to the principal’s office. We watch our normally measured parents go weak-kneed at the chance to secure a celebrity’s autograph or shake the hand of a visiting politician, and by early-adulthood it is obvious how fast the dynamics change when the CEO enters the room.
The good Pavlovian dogs that we are, we set about mimicking that same kind of thinking, aspiring to the corner office, struggling to join the ranks of the millionaires, coveting the role of “mover and shaker.” We picture ourselves in lights, standing behind the podium, our name and accomplishment inscribed across its facade.
Alas, the material world being the limited little orb that it is, in a race of 6.5 billion planetary citizens there isn’t a whole lot of space at the top. For every Bill Gates or Steve Jobs, there are thousands of entrepreneurs who never emerge from the garage. For every Michael Jordan lighting up an NBA scoreboard, there are millions who never make it beyond the playground. Which is to say, the world is awash in losers. Billions of ’em. One president of the US of A. One Best Picture Oscar each year. One Wimbledon champion. One Dalai Lama. The rest of you stand aside and be quiet, Tiger Woods is about to tee off.
The problem with this kind of thinking is obvious: all of those horses that place, show and come up lame start to believe they’re losers. After all, if you buy into the idea of winners, well, you’ve also got to believe in losers; you’ve got to be prepared to live life in the shadow of the podium.
For me, the prescription for this kind of thinking is the cemetery, that place we seldom visit except when we gather to say good-bye to one of our fellow contestants. At that point the person in the box is neither winner nor loser. He’s a reminder of something important: that the race – like the memory of the deceased himself – is all in our heads.
So as we turn from the grave and consider reentering the race; as our minds again turn to all of the things we must do; we would perhaps be wise to consider what the dead have to teach us: that ultimately, there is nothing that we need to accomplish, nobody to best, no mountain to climb. That as the mystics teach, be gentle with yourself and know that you are complete just as you are.
As usual, I agree with you for the most part. However, one component of this physical life that most share is that we thrive on interaction – – many would dry up and blow away if not for the interaction of others – – and a very common mode of interaction is via games (sport, political, verbal, business, board, etc). And, as everyone knows, when it comes to games – some win and some lose.
The problem, as I see it, is that there is a great majority that doesn’t have the right frame of mind concerning life’s games. They live and die by the game. They idolize the winners of life’s games. They judge themselves not by their performance – but how they preformed as compared to others – in one or more of the games they choose to play…. These are HUGE problems.
You don’t have to follow the path of the 5 yr old soccer kids who all get trophies when they go 0-8 for the season – but you should look at the positives / benefits of each game well played.
Games provide avenues for growth. It is probably the best way to grow in this physical world. As for spiritual growth – I have to give that more thought.
So, I say, cherish the game…Be consumed by it…Let your body be dynamic…Let your mind be dynamic…Love your competitors…Play by the rules…When it is done – it is done…No regrets…Know you are a better person by just being apart of it….
Yes, some can grow and be happy in a meditative state – but for how long. If we were meant to solely grow spiritually then why the physical existence?
Still working on life’s mysteries…and playing as much as possible.
Agreed. My response to your last question – “If we were meant to solely grow spiritually then why the physical existence?” – begs in turn the question, “Why do they have to be mutually exclusive?” Perhaps physical existence is just a manifestation of the spiritual, but we have ignored the latter for the former?
It is difficult for me to believe my physical existence is without a deep spiritual connection to a Omnipotent Being. Our physical existence cannot be understood without understanding our spiritual connection! For me, especially in the last 24-months, my connection has been through reading the bible scriptures which gave me an understanding of, not only my physical existence, but my faith, or lack of. Shorted like a “wake-up call.” It was not easy and it took a long time to honestly grasp it. Please forgive me for my reaction. I’m do not want to sound like I’m postulating. I just believed a physical existence is without a spiritual connection. They go together. Now, your job is to define what a “spiritual connection” is? For me I have already defined it. For you, ????