Everything faced a shadow of doubt, the echoes of failure, the difficulty of life, the lack of control, the pain of loss, the fear of the unknown, the difficulty of unpredictability - I faced them all.
The song of silence - by Simon & Garfunkel. A poignant soft song that echoed the sadness and grief in my heart.
I stared at the abyss of difficulty. I looked upward for answers but I found none. I look sideways to men, yet I found no comfort in those who could not empathize. I found myself increasingly frustrated by human's inability to connect.
Even though life is uncertain, I decidedly know that I must continue my journey. Life is a long stretch, its not easy, its going to hit you like a brick, a tsunami. You will face waves after wave of human disappointments, relationship problems, career issues - yet you can come out stronger after it because you believe that there is something important in life that you still must fulfill.
Life is not just about good results
Nor is it about accumulating greater wealth
Nor is it about gaining power
Nor is it about having all the things you ever wanted
No
It is about finding out your purpose
It is about living a life of purpose
It is about finding what you love
Which really led me to reflect. What would bring me happiness?
I begin to ponder what brought me fulfillment and meaning.
Ray Dalio once said - you can do anything you want, but you cannot do everything you want.
What an important statement.
As 2016 drew to a close, I thought long and hard about what mattered. At the end of life, what really matters?
Perhaps it really boils down to the following 3 questions:
1. Did I find and pursue my calling?
2. Am I a person who kept his promises?
3. Have I left a legacy?
For there is much to do. And really not much time to do it all.
