Page 251 - Reflections_over_Akamas

To rejoice

... is a powerful reminder to celebrate all the goodness there is in experiencing
life. It’s a declaration of my capacity to appreciate life in its entirety; just

like reconfirming my commitment to live as the battered yet seasoned
driver of my own destiny, rather than the spotless yet passive rider of the
human experience. Thanks to rejoicing, I get to know first-hand that the

riches I earn, at best, sustain a life of comfort and privilege. At the same
time however, I realise that it’s the richness of life that empowers me to
be resilient, flexible, adaptable, and ultimately more understanding and
grateful than bitter and resentful.

Humanity has made spectacular advances in high-end technology.
Personally, I consider this an accomplishment, but at the same time, a
predicament that begs for our attention. We focus on a life of comfort
rather than our intimate relation to ‘ev zin’ the ‘good life’. Thus, we

strive for gratification more than wisdom. If we were to revisit the works
of the ancient Greek philosophers, we would invariably agree that our
humanity has suffered from the same misconceptions and apprehensions

throughout time. We have merely switched old superstitions with new
ones, with new ones that are just as crippling. Rejoicing invites us to
reconsider our responsibility towards life. Joy isn’t to be found out there;
it’s to be cultivated from within.

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