Friday, February 29, 2008

Life

Cheers all,
I am sorry that I have been absent from the blogging world for awhile. It has been a less then pleasant month for me. My sister in San Jose had a near death experience, and while she survived (thank God) a week of waiting in the ICU took its toll on me emotionally. She still has several things that she needs to work out and through, but with any fortune we will collectively catch a break and things will work out for the best.

However, the experience did get me thinking a lot of about happiness and what we need and require in this life of ours. I think that we don't spend enough time reflecting on what we really need to achieve happiness in this world. It is much like the famous line from Real Genius, the old 80s flick starring Val Kilmer--"Moles and trolls, Molls and Trolls, work work work..." I know that there are plenty of people who are more erudite than I am who have extolled the horrors of our consumer driven society, but I sill think that it is worth spending some time reflecting upon.

So, my new pledge is to try and not be part of the consumer tradition in the US, and embark on finding a true sense of happiness within myself. See, I think that my sister had lost that sense of happiness, and while I regret more than words can say the fact that I could not recognize that, I realize now that I do not want to lose it within myself.

Of course, this is complicated, because for my given profession, we are denied the full freedom of choices that exist for other people. While the life of a university professor is pretty grand (I am writing a blog at 2pm on a Friday) the labor market for academics is pretty twisted. I have posted about this problem earlier, as some of you may know, so I don't need to rehash it again.

So, what are my goals to happiness? They are actually pretty simple. They begin with appreciating fully all that life has given me over the years. This includes a loving (if not horrible dysfunctional) family, amazing friends, a great education, and the opportunity to have traveled around the world. I am healthy, and reconnecting with my past and thinking about my future, all without a Wii, a surround sound home theater, or a designer label. Life is indeed beautiful.

So, to close this off today, to anyone who is reading I would ask you to join me in rediscovering the happiness in your life. Smell the proverbial flowers, tiptoe through the tulips, hug your partner, children, and friends. Remember, life is worth living and there is nothing for sale at any retail outlet that is a substitute for that.

Peace and thanks for listening...