Contentment

Kahlil Gibran is great on many different levels: it sounds pleasant, the words go together well with a pleasing, traditional turn of phrase. Suits the content and mythical athmosphere well. On another level, it talks intelligently and with the wisdom of experience about many aspects of life and manages not to be boring but engage the reader in thought, reflecting on our own ideas and feelings about an issue and see if we agree with him.

Intereste.

In other news, tehpuller is, if not always happy-bouncy-cheerful, contented. I realise that its really hard to be contented actually. It starts from when we are toddlers even: we build a sandcastle in the sandbox and look with pride on our slightly-crooked but endearing creation, then we shift our gaze to the one next to us and behold in awe the mighty castle with turrets and windows and proper roofs and moat and little flags made by another toddler. When you look back at what you've made, it seems so unappealing and less valuable now.

Strange that certain conceptions are hard to let go of. That Science students are better than Arts. That to be somebody we have to be known by everyone and have many friends, be a great all-rounder, and do well in everything. That its better to take the safe option even if you don't like it, rather than be sorry later on. That despite all evidence to the contrary (from your past behaviour and interests) your personality and appearance will suddenly change and you'll become attractive to everyone.

A more realistic idea of the world and how we develop is that of a potter or carpenter carefully designing, shaping, making minute adjustments here and there to their precious creation rathere than the flashy wand of a magician which goes POOOFF! and there you are, whole and complete and perfect. And to accept that everyone has faults and no one can be good at everything. And that yes, some people will do better than you in many things but that it really doesn't matter. We are called to account for our own lives and what we have achieved with our talents and abilities. Not those of others. So why care so much?

Now, I am doing my best to figure out what's important and not important that I achieve in these two years of my life in college. I don't want to get so caught up in the here-and-now and the unneccessary things that I miss out on the bigger picture. Life is about balance, and I realise that it's something that needs to be decided on every day in how we spend our time and what we do and who we do it with.

Throw me the balancing pole then, I'm ready to go for it!