"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is fraud. probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing" CS Lewis, Mere Christianity
Of late I have been finding this passage truer than ever; every fulfilment of a wish only brings about a greater sense of futility. The acquisition of knowledge only deepens the conviction of the hopelessness in the system that we are in. Beneath the labels and facade of various political ideas and social norms lies the fallacy of mankind and the hypocrisy of his works. Looking closer, we find contradictions even in what was meant to put an end to such. They come in many names with the likes of democracy, rule of law and human rights- fanciful sounding concepts that creates more questions than answers. Mankind has no hope in this world that is passing by.
The truth that we are but strangers and pilgrims journeying on this earth writes deeper in my heart as the days pass by. I am no hero of faith, but more than ever, it feels as though my eyes have been unveiled, as far as this is concerned, to see how, as the heroes of faith in Heb 11 saw, my country and belonging is not one found here. While CS Lewis' passage was an aspiration of a state to attain, perhaps it has now been embedded somewhere within, that of a truth, I was made for another world.
Not made for here.
3 comments:
Dear friend,I read some of your blogs of march 2012.What strikes me is the pessimism and negativity
you harbour.You qoute CS Lewis and the holy bible with gloomy verses,you say you were meant for another world.Well in a way we're all from one place or another,you're here NOW so might as well make the best of it.If you believe that you are on a journey of learning and experience then this is but a phase of your life.Many young people feel this way I won't say why because it will freak them out.The trick is to be grounded HERE and NOW because if you continue to be "far away" or spacey it will make it harder to integrate "your reality" with this one.This will lead to alienation and a sense of being trapped in a place you feel you don't belong when in fact you did choose to be HERE.Everyone chooses and make decisions every moment of there lives.It is whether you see a glass that is half full or half empty when in reality they are the same but from a different perspective.Get real and buckup.Your parents will be saddened if they read your blog.Every cloud has a silver lining choose to be happy.Know about the law of attraction.What you think is what you get.Happy thoughts begets happiness while sadness begets more sadness.Be aware of your thoughts seriously.
Hi Sunny,
Thank you for comment. I was initially surprised to find that you have felt that I was being negative and pessimistic. However, reading what I have posted from another point of view, I see what you are trying to get across.
I concur that in most situations that we come across in our lives, there are always two sides of the coin and one has the power to choose which side to see. Furthermore, I also agree that the outlook we have in life is dependent on the thoughts we have.
What I had wanted to write about was the recognition of the thoughts I have in relation to what I believe and what I have experienced in this particular aspect in life. Subject to that, my recognition and belief that I was meant for another world is distinct from how I live my life. This is where I have to depart from what you have mentioned about how "if [I] continue to be "far away" or spacey it will make it harder to integrate "[my] reality"...this will lead to alienation and a sense of being trapped in a place you feel you don't belong when in fact you did choose to be Here". With all due respect, while you are right to infer that having such thoughts may lead to what you have stated, I feel that such a conclusion fails to take into account that recognition of a belief is different from one’s outlook in life in totality. Although both are closely related, they are different and one may not always lead to another. Equating both together blurs their differences. Therefore, being able to recognise such a belief is not mutually exclusive of one’s ability to live life positively and being grounded in the present. To give an example, recognising that one will die does not mean that one will not be able to live positively and be grounded in the present. Why should the recognition of death per se be considered as being pessimistic? Recognising that the water in the glass will be thrown away does not prevent one from taking a view that it is half full.
In fact, looking at what I have also blogged in March 2012, where you mentioned I quoted ‘gloomy’ scriptures, it brings about the question of how I am living my life – something that is dealing with the present. If like you have mentioned, I feel alienated or ‘far away’, being concerned with how I live in the present will not be something worth considering. Furthermore, just as you have said, it is about the perspective that one adopts. Writing about CS Lewis’ quote does not mean that I do not see things differently from another point of view, of which may be what people deem as positive, and be guided by these views in life too.
I do appreciate your kind thoughts and advice, thanks! You may be pleased to know that I am not what you have made me to be like in your comment – of which I was wondering when I read them if we have ever met before! Anyway, this is not to spark a debate or anything of that sort but just to clarify that as much as I still stand by what I have written, it does not mean that I am pessimistic about life. On a side note, being negative or positive is all subjective to the value of what one holds in life. Hence, it is difficult to set an objective standard because we may have different values in life.
Cheers!
Thank you for the information
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