I have had an important life-decision hanging over my head for close to two years now. I have not arrived at any resolution yet largely to indecisiveness; however, the few times that I have moved towards a particular choice, complications arose that prevented me from making said choice. Although I do not enjoy suggesting this - since it seems superstitious to me - perhaps it's a case of the universe trying to convey something to me. This leads me to ask:
Are there particular roles or life-paths that each of us should follow? If so, how does one learn what his life-path is?
Are there specific life-paths for each of us to follow?
Re: Are there specific life-paths for each of us to follow?
I tend to think that life isn't unlike a river.
Why?
Because it has a flow, and that flow will guide us along the river. So, if we are to follow the path of least resistance, we will be carried by the flow of that river all the way to the sea of the end of our lives.
However, being carried by the flow isn't the only thing you can do. Sure, it sounds logical, it's already laid out for us, and it's the easiest choice... but you can swim towards one side or another while being carried as to avoid hitting branches or rocks on the way, you can get tangled in algae or set yourself free from then, if the river splits, you can choose one or the sides or another by swimming towards them... It all takes more effort than just following the flow, but it is still following the river, the life path that is already set up for you.
Or if you have the occasion and are willing to start difficult projects and engage on unsure, maybe dangerous, endeavours, you can swim up to the embankment and climb out of the river, which would allow you to walk towards any direction you want.
To make it shorter, there's always an easy way set for you to follow, but you can choose other paths, it'll just be harder and will require more efforts.
To put the metaphor back in a real life context, there's a life path set out for most of us which is the one of the "normal citizen": follow social norms and laws, study, get a job, get married, have children, get old, die.
Or you could push yourself in one way and another and bend that life path towards another destination: you could find a talent - let's say, the guitar -, develop it, take lessons, practice at home every time you get the time, and realise yourself by becoming an artist, a famous musician. Or you could start exercising, pushing your body to the limits, running or lifting weights every day, realising yourself through sports, and become an Olympic athlete. Or you could study more than usual, go on and on at college, get a Ph.D and do research, realising yourself by becoming an expert of your field and teaching the next generation of students. Or you could work hard, find how to make money, work a second job or become a shareholder, become rich, buy a villa like this one in Monte Mayor, Spain or whatever, a sports car and go on trips in the Swiss alps every winter, and realise yourself by becoming a millionnaire and giving yourself and your family financial security for years to come.
And the final option is to push yourself harder, as not to stay in the river, following the flow like the others: you could realise yourself by becoming an unique person, apart from the others, by climbing out of the river, seeing the world without being limited by the embankments of the river, and understanding more than anyone who's following the flow. It will set you actually free, but it is by far the hardest way.
Why?
Because it has a flow, and that flow will guide us along the river. So, if we are to follow the path of least resistance, we will be carried by the flow of that river all the way to the sea of the end of our lives.
However, being carried by the flow isn't the only thing you can do. Sure, it sounds logical, it's already laid out for us, and it's the easiest choice... but you can swim towards one side or another while being carried as to avoid hitting branches or rocks on the way, you can get tangled in algae or set yourself free from then, if the river splits, you can choose one or the sides or another by swimming towards them... It all takes more effort than just following the flow, but it is still following the river, the life path that is already set up for you.
Or if you have the occasion and are willing to start difficult projects and engage on unsure, maybe dangerous, endeavours, you can swim up to the embankment and climb out of the river, which would allow you to walk towards any direction you want.
To make it shorter, there's always an easy way set for you to follow, but you can choose other paths, it'll just be harder and will require more efforts.
To put the metaphor back in a real life context, there's a life path set out for most of us which is the one of the "normal citizen": follow social norms and laws, study, get a job, get married, have children, get old, die.
Or you could push yourself in one way and another and bend that life path towards another destination: you could find a talent - let's say, the guitar -, develop it, take lessons, practice at home every time you get the time, and realise yourself by becoming an artist, a famous musician. Or you could start exercising, pushing your body to the limits, running or lifting weights every day, realising yourself through sports, and become an Olympic athlete. Or you could study more than usual, go on and on at college, get a Ph.D and do research, realising yourself by becoming an expert of your field and teaching the next generation of students. Or you could work hard, find how to make money, work a second job or become a shareholder, become rich, buy a villa like this one in Monte Mayor, Spain or whatever, a sports car and go on trips in the Swiss alps every winter, and realise yourself by becoming a millionnaire and giving yourself and your family financial security for years to come.
And the final option is to push yourself harder, as not to stay in the river, following the flow like the others: you could realise yourself by becoming an unique person, apart from the others, by climbing out of the river, seeing the world without being limited by the embankments of the river, and understanding more than anyone who's following the flow. It will set you actually free, but it is by far the hardest way.
Last edited by Yak_NN on 02 Mar 2019 08:36, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Are there specific life-paths for each of us to follow?
Making mistakes...Svalbard wrote: 24 Feb 2019 04:17
Are there particular roles or life-paths that each of us should follow? If so, how does one learn what his life-path is?
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 31 guests