Notes – A Zest For Life
Lately I've been thinking a lot about this question:
Why do some people seem to have everything but act like they have nothing, yet some have nothing and make everything out of it?
This isn't about material possessions or anything. Heck, we seemed to mostly have solved that problem in the west. But material wealth only gets you this far in psychological welfare.
Some people are different. They somehow gained the ability to see the world through the eyes of a child and a wise philosopher. In whatever circumstance, they find the magic in the moment. This zest for life creates sparks wherever these people go, lighting up the world and the people around them. They're just great company.
But not everybody thinks so.
Bright light also brings dark shadows – and these shadows are the jealousy of other people. They burn so bright it's easy to make a target out of them. For some, letting someone lift you up is much more painful than dragging them down. This might also be part of a culture with the "tall poppy syndrome". Or in a Japanese proverb: the nail that sticks out the farthest is the first getting hammered down.
It's not just other people, though. Maybe this is a subjective experience, but growing up in a western culture taught me to grip so tight to goals that it feels like falling off a cliff when you let go. We think this is the only way to succeed, otherwise fortune will slip out of our fingers. But the opposite seems to be true: by gripping so tightly, you strangle your enjoyment for life – and your chance for triumph.
That's not who I want to be. I want to brim with a zest for life, like the people who not just find the magic, but create it in each moment. If these people exist, why don't I become one of them? If I die anyway, why don't I enjoy this brief journey? When walking up a mountain, dreading every step is bound to be a horrible experience. When you're able to enjoy the climb, you won't mind when you fall from time to time. It makes getting up easier. You might even look forward to it! That's when you become one of those people. The ones who light up a room. Who inspire hope in the darkness of despair. Someone who can make something out of nothing – someone fully alive behind the eyes.
