The Glory of Life

It is strange how people scramble around in search of significance, as if striving to fulfill an imperative of proving the legitimacy of one's reason for being. Some find significance in wealth, others in power, and yet others in charity. Yes, charity.

We seek to write our own life stories that will be told at our impending earthly departure. We desire it be said of us that a great legacy has been bequeathed to the world by virtue of our existence. We desire it be made mention that a legend has been lost. And so we strive for greatness. We strive to achieve great things so that the world will attest to our worth.

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No few men have entertained these deep desires and, in fact, even attained them. But they are the very ones who have also expressed great remorse at the reality of an empty existence and a strange sense of isolation from the greater scheme of things. They have everything and yet feel like everything is nothing. Even at the top, they still find themselves preoccupied with thoughts like "If only..." and "What if..." In the world of greatness, they have lost themselves. In a world of significance, they have become isolated from themselves.

When is a man ready for great things? When great things mean nothing to him anymore because he finds the reason for his existence in the simple things in life. He is ready for greatness when, beyond constructing monuments, he finds fulfillment in sharing an icecream (and therefore friendship) with a little child.

The glory of life is found in the simple things.