The wonder of life

HOW often have you questioned why you exist on planet earth or what you can do to attain satisfaction in life. On many occasions, we ponder and try to figure out our purpose in life, we do it all the time especially if things aren’t going well for us. It’s natural. We often wonder why we struggle through life when other people merely snap their fingers and things are instantly done. From the bank loan that we did not get, the number of loved ones we have lost in a year, the landlord who just cannot understand that we are as desperate as he is to get our hands on some cash. The job promotion that we are sure we deserved more than anyone else, all the way down to your nosy neighbours who feel it’s their sworn duty to know about every move we make! What we don’t understand is that things can’t or won’t always go the way we want them to. Even when we feel we are doing the best we can, we can’t help but wonder why we are not being rewarded the way we should be. There are people who have gone through all the levels of education with good grades, but are stuck in unfulfilling jobs or take on jobs they are not interested in. A couple of years ago I worked at a fast food joint. Not the kind of job I had always dreamed of having but it was still great to be a part of the world of the employed. I was the envy of my unemployed friends. But after a few months of hard work and no pay, I quit, even though I had dedicated my time and energy to perform and exceed the expectations of my employer. Life being the mystery it is, my expectations were never met and I wondered what I had done wrong or why life was being so unfair. Such is the wonder and mystery about life that many people cannot provide answers to. Maybe our role in life isn’t to make lots of money, buy expensive cars and generally just live an extremely comfortable life. Perhaps we can find satisfaction in life on the other side of the coin that goes beyond material satisfaction, riches and what we love and treasure. Before you whine about how your life isn’t the way it should be, think about what you have, the people around you, the fact that even though you’re working at a place you care less about, you are still lucky to have a job, that is of course if you are being paid for it! The only light at the end of the dark tunnel is derived from simple gestures that we usually undermine; these provide satisfaction and enhance our lives. Take an example of giving and sharing the little that we have with those in need. The examples are countless, helping a child or a blind man cross the street or giving up your seat to an elderly person or pregnant mother; such actions and gestures are what put a smile on other peoples faces and hence define our way towards fulfilling a purposeful life. Such is the mystery and wonder that life is. cjanzi83@yahoo.co.uk