This is a thought that has struck me in my personal life several times, but it has been of more importance recently and has been coming up in casual conversations with other people.
It seems as if I have to feel like I am accomplishing something meaningful or I start to get very antsy and have trouble being content doing what I’m doing. I have this hunger for accomplishment. And it’s not just me…
I’ve heard other people talk about how happy they are be in school, or to even just know that they are going to school. If they see the ‘light’ of school (in this case) at the end of the tunnel, they are more ok with following their path through the tunnel and being generally happy with it. I’m hearing comments like, “This isn’t exactly what I want to be doing, but as long as I know it’s on the right path, it makes me so happy.”
That happy place can be many things for many people, of course. Some people like being in school and soaking up the knowledge and energy around them. Some people like traveling or experiencing new and wondrous things. Some people just like meeting new people they can relate to.
I don’t know why it is that so many Americans seem to have trouble making their own personal happiness a priority. I have enough trouble managing this myself so I won’t be doing anything to help the world here. You’re on your own.