You ever have some really weird and vivid dream that stuck with you when you woke up for the entire day? I did recently and it got me thinking about some things. To make a long story short the dream was about change and age. It was about being towards the end of one’s life and going through things and remembering what things once more.
In my dream I went by apartments where my brother used to live, a childhood home, cities I used to live, and more. However these were all seen through the eyes of someone who had none of those things anymore. Everything was changed and had gone on long past any relation to me. I imagine this is how many feel approaching the end of their life. Nostalgic for things that have long left this world.
The wise stories have always told us the immortality would be a curse of the worst sort and I think I get why, at least partly. As a wise man once said there is a time to live and a time to die. But that’s getting a bit beyond this. One other thing that this made me think of was what legacy am I leaving behind and what impact have I made on this world if any? Have I made things better for those that come after? Have I made things better for those that matter to me?
Leaving A Legacy
I’ve always known at some point I’d want a family. Maybe it was because of success in business or with women earlier on that I knew that such things are not fulfilling in and of themselves. While I value freedom highly (that’s an understatement) freedom in it’s own bubble does very little for you (sort of like money). It’s the things that the freedom allows you to do that are important and that have meaning.
I know one day simply accomplishing things for myself is going to lose its luster. This isn’t to say that’s not something I won’t always do, of course I will. But to be the only thing one lives for in life isn’t going to work long term. Eventually after building for yourself you’ll want to give to those that matter to you and that you care about. The problem comes when those people aren’t around or even worst don’t exist. Seems most have forgotten this.
As misused as this word is and as cheesy as it has become “love” is still an important factor of any healthy life. Even if it’s not a family but a brotherhood, a cause, or just close friends. One must have some component of love in their life and things that they care deeply about beyond themselves. Something that they can contribute to and make an impact on that’ll last beyond them.
Blood & Hearth
I think many misunderstand the importance of having a place to call one’s own. Whether this is a country, a nation, a tribe, a faction, a group, or especially a family. Living for oneself alone eventually leads to a place where you find that is wasn’t worth all that you thought it was. And at some point it becomes too late to change this (granted this point is usually much later than one thinks but it’s still there.)
Sort of like how the red pill warns women from partying/focusing on their career to the detriment of ever having a family eventually this same game can be played with men (again granted at a much later date). And even if family is not the goal still deep real relations are still a critical part of one’s life (and becoming harder and harder to come by).
Don’t underestimate the importance of these relations and if they’re not there work on or look for developing some so that they will be there. Put down some roots into the world around you. Make an impact on the world around in a real way. Not by donating to charities or non-profits (not that there’s anything inherently wrong with that) but by your actions and your life. And remember the days that are to come down the road.
