What is it really all about, is it really worth it?

[Godsend]

I've been thinking a lot about this for about a month now. We work, make money, pay bills, buy food. Then we spend the rest on satisfying our latest craving. The newest phone, the latest car, in the case of our little group here, the latest girl. What do we produce? What are we doing to better ourselves collectively? Will our contribution to society matter in a few years? Does it matter now?

I look at what I do. Every day I help people, but it honestly doesn't seem to matter. There's little gratitude and no recognition. I'm just another faceless tech-monkey.

Gods, I'm starting to understand cutters. You slice your skin and the pain you feel is actually real, not just this unbearable nothing, this worthlessness in your head.

There's no real point to this, just need to air out my screwed up brain.

 

[walking lady RIP Tom]

No.

 

[surfinboy360]

Dream, going through middle age crisis?.

 

[twee_grrrl]

Some people have lives that allow them to see the difference they make in the world. A doctor saves a patient's life, a firefighter rescues a child from a burning home, a researcher makes a discovery that leads to a medical breakthrough, a statesman averts a war...

Most of us, though, lead far more ordinary lives. The only really important thing I've ever done is to have raised my son well...but while I can't think of anything more important to me personally, the bulk of it is done now. And there are many moments when I feel completely inconsequential, no one really needs me anymore.

So I try to look for little things I can do, like holding the door for someone or letting someone pull out at that really busy intersection, or giving blood when I can. Sometimes I go to the shelter and walk the dogs...you want gratitude? Go do that.

I keep a framed copy of this in my living room. Sometimes it helps me find perspective when I need it, and I hope it does the same for you.

Little Things

Most of us miss out on life's big prizes.
The Pulitzer.
The Nobel.
Oscars.
Tonys.
Emmys.
But we're all eligible for life's small pleasures.
A pat on the back.
A kiss behind the ear.
A four-pound bass.
A full moon.
An empty parking space.
A crackling fire.
A glorious sunset.
Hot soup.
Cold beer.
Don't fret about copping life's grand awards.
Enjoy its tiny delights.
There are plenty for all of us.

 

[Mr Night]

[/B]

This thread started out with a major down tone, but as is often the case SG, you've cut through iit all and hit the mark.

I've been very fortunate, with very few serious failutes punctuating my life. Build on top of that some of the most amazing things that I get a serious boost from, some of which you've listed. Add to this some of my own;

Watching a colt being born.
Having a recently lost friend help someone else through organ donation.
Winning a lottery at a country fair and finding out it was a 50lb wheel of cheese. The good news was Xmas was coming and the local charity was another big winner for their Xmas dinner.
Watching puppies being born.
Swimming with Blue Jelly Fish in a South Pacific coral reef.
Watching kid getting his first haircut.
Trying a totally new food.

I feel really good now with all these flashbacks. Thanks SG.

 

[ameliaalicedownes]

The Human Condition.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Human_Condition_(book)
Dreamblade, you're not alone and this has been happening since the beginning of time. The ancient greeks called it VITA ACTIVA, "The active life" We work to survive, and we socialize to feel a sense of belonging. Our daily lives are consumed by wants versus needs. There's not enough human socialization happening. You asked about our contributions meaning anything now or later. Yes, they do matter, you helped someone today, whether they say thank you or not isn't the point, you helped someone regardless of pay or not. If you've ever thought about it, volunteering is a valuable contribution.

Cutters are very different for various reasons. You're just in a rut!
http://www.suite101.com/content/why-do-people-cut-themselves-a151977

http://healthmad.com/mental-health/10-reasons-people-cut-themselves/

 

[Izzy r]

Check it out

http://www.massageplanet.com/rboard/showthread.php?8976-GOOD-Stuff!:great:

 

[The butt of a classy lady]

We're a virus, a cancer of the planet. That's our accomplishment.

It's still a good idea to be nicer to each other and make sure our offspring don't become evil, but in the end we've fucked up.

You can still enjoy the moment even if you know there isn't a grand reward at the end, can't you?

 

[Your Teeth or Mine?]

Vitamin D, dreamblade. You need to take Vitamin D when the amount of sunlight starts to decrease in the autumn.

 

[Faree Imaan]

You're going through the winter dumps a little early DB. Cheer up and go get laid, you will feel much better.

 

[Alex B]

Dreamblade: recognition for your efforts is for sissies. Do good and know the world is better for it, regardless of whether you get a prize. I'd prefer a world of good people unconcerned with recognition than a world where we only do good deeds if someone's rewarding us. If you have a spare few hrs and enjoy a good mindfuck, read someone like Soren Kierkegaard, who woke up one morning convinced that if there was no God what was the point. From there Kierkegaard just became a self-indulgent self-pitying bore, and was famous for it, which was deeply ironic, because he thought there was no point to it all if God was not going to be there to pat him on the back at the end. So he gained recognition for thinking there would be no recognition so why bother. A good mindfuck like Kierkegaard shows us all the perils of craving recognition. In the meantime, heed Sillygirl's wisdom. It's the little things that often count. Like Brad being a tech moron that has often benefitted from tech savvy people's skills, even if I don't know them. Sometimes we just don't need recognition to realize our efforts don't go unnoticed.

I got that all out of a fortune cookie I stole from the now-dead delivery boy, who said Kierkegaard was his hero.

 

[sheba]

Wow, dude, you should talk to a professional.

 

[Chicken Noodle Soup!]

For me...

It is about,

Loving my kids
Doing the things I love, (hiking, photography, bicycle riding, reading)
Helping those I can
Changing the world to my ideals (no matter how small of a change)

Notice how I never once brought up money or possessions? There is more to life than work. I'll even bet that no one has ever said on their deathbed, 'geez, I wish I worked harder and put in longer hours.'

 

[loves james]

Its known as bullshit, but it happens to most of us if not all of us.

I go through it every now and then.

Oagre is right, Vitamin D. Start taking " One a day for men "

http://oneaday.com/mens.html

Sometimes you do favours or simple small things to help people. Many people (its sad to say) do not appreciate it as much as they should. Its a fact of life.

Humans are getting selfish as the final day comes closer.

 

[blackoutparty111]

Sure, it's worth it. Trust me. Let me buy you a drink, We'll talk it out.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Good suggestions from the girls and boys, cheer up DB. It's Saturday night, go out on the town and have a ball.arty:

 

[Spencer]

I'm heartened by the number of responses that refer to helping others.

It's worth it when you have a worthy purpose. We all have one. I lost mine some time ago. Still searching for a new one.

 

[Ryan I]

I hate to say it but I agree with Auggie. We're just a species that overcame all the obstacles to beat out other species to the top.

I used to think the same way, that what I did really didn't do anything and all the time and effort spent to work to "get things done" that really, in the big picture, didn't need to be done.

So I quit.

Now when I build a piece of furniture, or renovate a kid's room, or ?? I know what I've done will be around a LONG time. For example, one of the most rewarding things that happened to be (re: work) was I was trimming a room in a new house and a little 6 yr old girl wandered in. She said this'll be MY room....So I showed her what I was doing and in the bedroom closet I had her stand against the trim and marked her height. I gave her the pencil and told her now everyday on your birthday you mark yourself. Then when you go off to college your parents can see how big you've gotten. She was thrilled. Then I had her write her name in the baseboard and I carved it in with my utility knife. I went downstairs to meet her parents and it was awesome to be a part of their first home purchase etc.

When I was building condos and was hired as the site manager I found a LOT of the trades were using the unit toilets and quite a few were full of shit and piss. (no running water). I called ALL the trades to the front of the building and told them "if I ever catch any of you using the unit toilets you won't even be fired on the spot, your company will be fined $5,000.00. These are people's HOMES, many of you have forgotten that"....."we're giving people places to live, it's not just another box, do your best work and respect these places". Afterwards a few of the guys came up and thanked me for reminding them of what we were really doing.

So my suggestion is, if you don't like your life the way it is, change it. I've changed careers 8x in my life and while I'll never be a millionaire, I do like to think I'm doing something worthwhile.

 

[sam j]

Am i the only one that sees the irony in this statement?

 

[Pompal 09.]

Nice story, tboy.

I bet that little girl remembers the moment for the rest of her life.