What does it mean to get involved? Do you have to be a group organizer or the life of the party? Does it mean rallying a ton of your friends to get things started, or go door to door getting people motivated? Or is it something simple? At the very least joining in means doing something, anything other than the same old stuff. Have you ever thought about doing something that looked fun or interesting but ‘never got around to it’? How horrible would you feel if you spent the rest of your life thinking about it and then never did it? Regret is so very heavy; carrying it around with you can be de-motivating, especially if it’s for regret of not having ever tried. I’d hate that. Joining in can simply mean getting involved with your life.
An old girlfriend of mine, who I’m still friends with, has a self-realized joy of wanderlust. She can’t stay in one place for very long before she needs to go explore something new. I’m intent on learning the saxophone, even though I have no music ability whatsoever. I’ve said many times to my friends, family and anyone who listens that often times it’s the attempt that counts, not the result. Attempting is doing, and doing is winning. Why, because at the end of the day, if you never even tried, you’ve already failed.
Getting involved in your own life is probably the most rewarding thing you can do. I’ve watched as friends followed their dreams with fierce determination and drive and succeed! It’s an awesome thing. I’ve also watched friends languish with inactivity and malaise, with the constant complaint that ‘life sucks’ or ‘nothing ever changes’. It’s actually pretty sad to see. Remember, the common denominator throughout your entire life is you. Make that factor a force to be reckoned with!
My roommate is also fond of the term "wanderlust," which I believe she first saw in a featurette for the film The Fall (which I recommend you see if you have not yet). She wants to see the world and explore what is out there as a lover of art and life. I think it's sad when people fault her for not pursuing a path more "secure" and "grounded," but if a path like that only led her to narrow existence of misery, why should she take it? Yes, we all need to make hard decisions and take on responsibilities that can feel restrictive at times--like any job you can get in this economy to pay bills and support a family--but I think it's important to "work to live; don't live to work," as a coworker recently told me. The richest things life have to offer are most definitely outside our cubicles and offices, and as tired as we may be once we step out of those spaces, nothing should be more important to us than living.
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