All That Glitters...
Ah, disenchantment. A natural emotion to experience during the year after graduating from college. Many people reflect on their college years as some of the best in their life. In my experience, that was certainly true. Home life for me was never all that it was cracked up to be, and college was what I looked to every time my family experienced technical difficulties. And, truly, college was amazing. I was fortunate enough to attend the university of my choosing and graduate without loans (a special shout-out to the legal system for making that happen!), and continue to reside in a city I love. I don't live at home (thank G-d) and do not depend on anyone financially. I am self-sufficient and have a nice place to live. I have clothes, food, shelter, and amazing friends. What more can a girl ask for?
A lot, I think. Having the essentials is something that warrants gratitude, yet doesn't seem to bring about emotional fulfillment. There is this continuous push/desire for something else, for something new: obtaining more/higher education, getting a better job, making more money, finding new/more friends, the quest for love... There is always a continual desire for self-improvement, whether it's through maintaining a sense of style, losing weight, propriety, humor... I guess that this is the nature of the human existence. Without any type of pursuit, is life worth living?
I don't have an answer, really. Yet I continue to wonder if we pursue the right things. My roommate and I were just talking about the tremendous number of activities that she does, and how difficult it is to accurately quantify the things she does or make them tangible to others. To me, the things that occupy her time are obvious because of their importance in her life. When I think about what I do, I laugh to myself. I work, study, cook, eat, sleep, try to exercise, read books, spend time with friends, try to fit in indulgences, worry about my family, and agonize about law school/the LSAT. And yet, I wonder. At my office, so many of the women are mothers and have families. That is something that I want desperately, and also dream about all the time. What is the importance of family now? What are modern American family values in 2006?
Bah--this is a lot of philosophical rambling for one blog entry that I am doubtful anyone reads. Perhaps I will come back another time in the near future.
A lot, I think. Having the essentials is something that warrants gratitude, yet doesn't seem to bring about emotional fulfillment. There is this continuous push/desire for something else, for something new: obtaining more/higher education, getting a better job, making more money, finding new/more friends, the quest for love... There is always a continual desire for self-improvement, whether it's through maintaining a sense of style, losing weight, propriety, humor... I guess that this is the nature of the human existence. Without any type of pursuit, is life worth living?
I don't have an answer, really. Yet I continue to wonder if we pursue the right things. My roommate and I were just talking about the tremendous number of activities that she does, and how difficult it is to accurately quantify the things she does or make them tangible to others. To me, the things that occupy her time are obvious because of their importance in her life. When I think about what I do, I laugh to myself. I work, study, cook, eat, sleep, try to exercise, read books, spend time with friends, try to fit in indulgences, worry about my family, and agonize about law school/the LSAT. And yet, I wonder. At my office, so many of the women are mothers and have families. That is something that I want desperately, and also dream about all the time. What is the importance of family now? What are modern American family values in 2006?
Bah--this is a lot of philosophical rambling for one blog entry that I am doubtful anyone reads. Perhaps I will come back another time in the near future.
posted by *Jo* @ 7:41 PM
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