Read the quotes and the other comments... and add something to the discussion!
For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way. Something to be got through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. ~Fr. Alfred D'Souza
Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite. Or waiting around for Friday night or waiting perhaps for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil or a better break or a string of pearls or a pair of pants or a wig with curls or another chance. Everyone is just waiting. ~Dr. Seuss
Gather ye rose-buds while ye may;Old Time is still a-flying;And this same flower that smiles today,Tomorrow will be dying.~Robert Herrick
If we would only give, just once, the same amount of reflection to what we want to get out of life that we give to the question of what to do with a two weeks' vacation, we would be startled at our false standards and the aimless procession of our busy days. ~Dorothy Canfield Fisher
What would be the use of immortality to a person who cannot use well a half an hour. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance. ~Japanese Proverb
For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way. Something to be got through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. ~Fr. Alfred D'Souza
Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite. Or waiting around for Friday night or waiting perhaps for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil or a better break or a string of pearls or a pair of pants or a wig with curls or another chance. Everyone is just waiting. ~Dr. Seuss
Gather ye rose-buds while ye may;Old Time is still a-flying;And this same flower that smiles today,Tomorrow will be dying.~Robert Herrick
If we would only give, just once, the same amount of reflection to what we want to get out of life that we give to the question of what to do with a two weeks' vacation, we would be startled at our false standards and the aimless procession of our busy days. ~Dorothy Canfield Fisher
What would be the use of immortality to a person who cannot use well a half an hour. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance. ~Japanese Proverb
13 comments:
This a concept (Fr. Alfred D'Souza quote) that we’ve discussed in class before and I remember just feeling like “wow, no one has ever acknowledged that before.” As humans, I believe that we do postpone feelings of fulfillment in our lives. All of last year I was so frustrated thinking about how I wished I was in college already and how I was just wasting my time doing inane homework for “grades”; just earning a silly number. I was waiting for college to start enjoying my life. But this year I’ve thought about it some more and I’ve realized that what we all look forward to is liberation. But I won’t be liberated after college unless I become the next J.K. Rowlings and even then I’d probably have stalkers. I believe that as I age I’ll slowly gain more “responsibility” but I have a hard time accepting that everything we try to “wait away” just follows us through our lives in other forms.
We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance. ~Japanese Proverb
Whether to dance or not is something I think everyone in our class can relate to. It is that debate as old as time in our heads as to whether or not we should dance for fear of making fools out of ourselves in front of everyone. Last year at prom for instance, many students (including myself) chose to stand around and make fun of others dancing when in reality it probably would have been more fun for us to dance as well. However, this proverb makes a good point in that the people standing around being cynical were just as foolish and pathetic as the people dancing except the people dancing were having more fun. On a broader level, this proverb is basically saying do not worry about embarrassing yourself because at the end of the day everyone is foolish and has reasons to be embarrassed.
“If we would only give, just once, the same amount of reflection to what we want to get out of life that we give to the question of what to do with a two weeks' vacation, we would be startled at our false standards and the aimless procession of our busy days.” ~Dorothy Canfield Fisher
I was sitting in gym class the other day and heard someone else sitting out remark “There’s 40 minutes of my life, gone.” At first I laughed and disregarded it, but the more I thought about it, the more pertanent it seemed. We can look at anything we go through, a school period, a day at work, a sports game, a TV show, or sleep, as alotted time taken from our lives. I can’t begin to imagine the amount of time wasted each day, or each year, because of insignificant events that we deem at the time important. I think this is what Dorothy Canfield Fisher is aiming towards, the idea that life is something not to be wasted, but to be cherished. We’ve grown into such a materialistic society that we value more what to do with a two week vacation, for example, than what to do with the time in our lives. If everyone took a day out of their lives and spent it on something truly significant, I believe they would find something magnificent. Instead of busying ourselves with “aimless processions”, we should learn to plan for our entire lives as if it were a two week vacation, and live it to the fullest.
I agree with Michael’s comment on the Japanese proverb. It is an issue of fate. If you are fated to do or be something than you might as well do or be that something as best as you can and have fun while you do it. I agree that the statement says that we are all going to be embarrassed no matter what we do so we might as well make the best of it and just enjoy ourselves, even if we look foolish. Sometimes just being foolish is fun. In conclusion, live life to the fullest and do not miss doing something that you will regret missing.
Not to be a wet towel, but it seems like most of these comments end in "live in the moment" or "live like there's no tomorrow" or "have no regrets" and aside from the idealism of those statements making me a little sick I'm also wondering if anyone is going to be brave enough to explain HOW I, for example, am supposed to adopt this philosophy of living.
If we would only give, just once, the same amount of reflection to what we want to get out of
life that we give to the question of what to do with a two weeks' vacation, we would be startled
at our false standards and the aimless procession of our busy days. ~Dorothy Canfield Fisher
While many of the quotes given are a bit on the cliché side, I believe the preceding, stated by
Dorothy Canfield Fisher holds valuable merit. Everyone places far too much value on so many
pointless incidents-- from the anguish over deciding on a prom date to the frustration over a
simple game some people like to play in restaurants, strife can arise from the most ridiculous
sources. However, far less anguish and thought is spent over reflecting on the type of person
one wants to be. Moral standards and career goals are developed on the go, but the ever so
important decisions about types of spiral notebooks are given long minutes in Staples. I can
relate-- days have been spent staring at a closet, seeking an outfit I’d wear for several hours.
Being aware of the triviality that each day contains is only half of what is needed...changing the
mentality that virtually everyone is brought up in is more difficult than one would predict.
Constant self evaluation and attempted rectification is necessary.
What would be the use of immortality to a person who cannot use well a half an hour. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Sure I could say “live for the moment!” and “Carpe Diem!” and all that overused junk, but I will sum it up with my favorite state of being, which is “being productive.” Throughout the past two years, I have found I am at my earthly apex in winter. During the winter, I play basketball like a fiend and deal with everything else normally going on in my life. Amazingly, I go to the gym more during the winter then I do now when I have nothing to do. It becomes my mindset; it’s a mentality. I do things because I don’t think I can, so that when I do, I get the biggest sense of gratification existence can offer- knowing I’ve pushed the limit. Doing “too much” is always what makes me thrive. For the people that cannot ever do too much, for those that can’t utilize a “half an hour” and make something of it, what does life become?
You start living when your greatest desire is that there were more hours in the day.
Becky Gessler
I feel that the Dr. Seuss quote is the one which most reflects my attitude towards life. I am always waiting for the next day or for some "significant" event to take place without ever believing that right now I could be enjoying life. I think that having this outlook has made it easier for me to deal with life and not hold myself accountable for the choices I make. Instead of waiting around for things to change I can be changing now and not wake up one day, dried out and old wondering when I began to let life escape me. I know though that its not one of those instant changes, I have had enough "life changing" experiences where you don't just wake up with better habits, its a conscious effort. Even though Mr. Kowgios says you should not need some kind of written reminder to act a certain way, I believe that you do. If you are not accustomed to acting in a certain way, example not just sitting around waiting for life to begin, you need that reminder, you need to make that conscious effort and hopefully, if you stay dedicated to it you won't, but thats a big if.
I agree with Nadia here. Everyone reads these quotes and then acts like they’ve had some great epiphany – but honestly, who among us didn’t already know that “life is short” and all that stuff. What makes certain moments significant and other insignificant? We’re really the ones that decide that. You can’t say that “one shouldn’t waste time or thought on trivial things,” because different things are trivial to different people. For all the people who are getting all into this whole “live in the moment” thing, do you actually plan on following through? Odds are they are really just hollow words that we would all like to live by, but are impeded by fear.
These people are right. Our time is fleeting and how we choose to live out our time, any and all of it, is the only decision we have to make- it’s a precious one. Free Will only goes so far, and we can’t well up and choose never to cease existing. Your time will pass whether you like it or not, so what will you do with it? Will you enjoy it? Maybe you’ll flaunt it. Maybe you’ll waste it trying to get more. All I know is that I’d like to take some of my time right now to tell Caitlin to lay- off ripping on Morgan for just living life the way he wants to. Can anyone be more judgmental- I meanm except for Kylie of course, who’s probably spazzing out because I just ended that last sentence in a preposition- but come on! Caitlin, lay off.
"At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid." -Friedrich Nietzsche
"Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much."-Oscar Wilde
"It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend."-William Blake
"Oh the sweet, sweet taste of ambiguous animosity!"-Nadia Arcese
I believe the quote Brittany is alluding to is more about that there is more to life than anyone cound ever understand and that "dancing" is more about being happy than the "experience". There is more information and experiences than there are life times in the world and to believe life is about doing everything is ludacous. Life is about the pursuit of happiness, and enjoying it while its there because the "dance" doesn't last too long.
i love how this group of AP individuals basically ripped apart the notion that one should live life in the present, but simultaneously slashed the idea that one should look forward to the future. therefore i pose a question to the group: how the hell should you live your life? if not in the present or future, and surely not in the past, then how should one live?
p.s. you never look forward to leaving college. i dont remember who said those in college want to go on to the "real world," but you are wrong. we like it here. we want to stay.
p.p.s. congratulations to Mr. K for creating another batch of skeptics, rebels and non-believers. kudos.
=)
Post a Comment