On the Realities of Life

People live and die just as their ancestors did and as their descendants will. The preponderance of the people who have lived before have been completely forgotten; they had hopes, dreams, joys and pains, but who can recall? Who will remember us when our lives are spent?

What exactly does one anticipate when one rises for another day? Another day of working to pay the ceaseless stream of bills? Pardon me if I do not find it an exciting prospect. I see work as it really is-work. Since I am not one of those fools in love with work, that means I am likely not going to be reaching the heights of wealth and status, but I am absolutely fine with that. Those imbeciles who devote their lives to hoarding wealth and obtaining status will die as surely as I will. Will their wealth purchase them eternal life? Will their status convince death to pass them by? Absolutely not. The wealth they accumulate passes into the possession of others who did nothing to earn it. Was it worth it? One comes into the world with nothing and one leaves with nothing.

Some say the purpose of life is to survive and reproduce. What difference does it ultimately make if one "succeeds" or "fails?" It will not make a bloody bit of difference to me if my DNA "lives on" through children or "dies" with me. If I pass DNA on, what good does it do me when I am in the grave? If I do not pass DNA on, what harm does it do me when I am in the grave?

Some say the purpose of life is to have fun. Just how much fun can one have when one still must spend hours upon hours upon hours working to obtain the funds necessary for the necessities of life and "fun" activities? It seems to me whatever fun one might have is far outweighed by the drudgeries and pain. Pleasures are fleeting and pains linger. The pains and regrets from years ago are with me today. Can I say the same for the pleasures and triumphs? No-they are quickly forgotten. The impacts of pleasure are but pin pricks compared to the stab wounds of pain.

No reflection on life is complete without considering where the life is lived. This world is overrun with liars, murderers, torturers, brutes, cheats, etc. who do their utmost to raise the misery index. The depths of evil I see manifested when I read the news shock and disgust me. How many good, genuine people are out there? They are few, and even they engage in some of the same activities as those who make wickedness a lifestyle. Ours is a world of one problem after another. Ours is a dangerous world of decay and death manifested internally and externally.

Life as it is now is hopelessly overrated. What makes this existence preferable to non-existence? Remember-death and pain only affect the existing.

A life lived in a good world where decay, death and pain are no more would be truly worthwhile.

I dare to see life as it is, and some would object calling it "unhealthy." In my opinion, a healthy perspective is not one involving rose-coloured glasses. Pondering the realities of life is not a pleasant exercise by any means, but I think it is necessary because I value knowledge and wisdom. True, there is a price to be paid as Ecclesiastes 1:18 says:

For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.