What things suck the joy out of your life? Many of us work only for money and not for the joy of contributing. We do a variety of tasks because of what others might think and we brush right past what we might really think. It’s time to take a look at those scripts running in your head, those scripts running your life.
Most of us go through life giving little thought to why we do the things we do. For many of us the same things play out over and over and we don’t even realize it; we don’t realize that it is not our thoughts producing the actions that produce the life around us. Often this life does not bring us the satisfaction and happiness that we seek and deserve. Our friend Socrates said as much:
“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
That’s perhaps overstating it for most of us and yet we live far below our potential. How could it be otherwise since we are living the thoughts that others put in our heads.
- There are things we have to do. Responsibilities given to us that we must do rather than realizing ourselves that these tasks are something we do of our own choice. Tasks of these kind tend to seem difficult to us because they are done not for the joy they bring us but of obligation.
- Things others expect, what will the neighbors think? Is this why we keep our yards in order? Or do we do it for the joy and the beauty.
- Because of the money. We keep an unsatisfying job because we need the money – probably couldn’t make as much in a job we’d like better. Most don’t work for the joy of producing something of value to the world but for money. There is no more certain path to being unhappy than doing a job only for the money.
It is almost like being forced to do after school chores by your parents when your head wants to be in that big game or adventure with your friends that you are missing out on.
And so we put all these reasons and scripts that came from others as central tenants in our lives never having given them a second thought. These are just a few of the common scripts that we run. In fact many more govern a great deal of our lives. These scripts guide us but they do not serve us well. How could they serve us. Some ideas from long ago are pulling the strings of our lives. And we come back to Socrates, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Timeless wisdom that we all need to stop and consider.
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EXAMINED LIFE
The Unexamined Life
Third and most importantly, we attended the University of San Francisco, a Jesuit school that required a tremendous amount of introspection in its coursework, it’s motto being “the unexamined life is not worth living.”
“The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living” – Socrates (469 BC – 399 BC)
It freed me from the past-unresolved problems and to truly begin growing and living my life. However, without the influence of the unsubstantiated Vatican’s antigay teachings I would have begun to truly living my life over some 50 years ago.
The “Unexamined” Life
The lecture room had Socrates’ saying over the door: “The unexamined life is not worth living.” I expected this sort of thing, and had prepared a talk for those very fine people.
The “Unexamined” Life
An internet library of journal articles, essays, book excerpts, and other texts chosen for their objective, concise, and clear presentation of Catholic teachings, history, and culture.
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