Lets face it…every so often, life sucks.
Sometimes, nothing goes your way and it seems like everything is out to knock you down.
We’ve all had those times in our lives–the month where the car breaks down, the pipes freeze, the heater goes out on the house AND, as the topping for the sundae, the dog dies. Its like something out of depressingly bad a country song cliche, a guy that looses his truck, his dog, his woman and his job, all to his (ex)best friend.
Its these times that make Delphic Maxim #133 sort of difficult to follow.
Do not be discontented by life. Seriously? Like, never? How the heck is that possible?
And, for that matter, is never being discontented with life even advisable? Where would we be in life if we had never experienced pain, sorrow, defeat, failure? Sometimes over and over? If our lives were simply a matter of being content, where would our heroes come from? Where would we find greatness–in myth, in literature and film, in life?
Or perhaps this maxim isn’t about never being discontented by what happens in our lives…but rather, its about not being discontented by Life, by the experience of living. There is an Inuit word, nuanaarpoq, which means something akin to “taking extravagant pleasure in being alive”. This, I think, is closer to the idea of not being discontented by Life (just less subtle).
Sure, sometimes life sucks.
Sometimes, nothing goes your way and it seems like everything is out to knock you down.
But that just means you are down…not that you are out.
So get up and get back on the metaphorical horse or bicycle or whatever, and learn from the experience. Let it make your appreciation for life that much stronger when the tide turns.
Do not be discontented with Life. Live it to the fullest, even the bad parts.
*this has been a post of the “Delphic Maxims Blogging Party”, be sure to check out the other Delphic Maxims posts on the web!
July 9th, 2012 at 9:56 pm
i’m really liking these maxims, just so you know
July 10th, 2012 at 12:04 am
Thanks!!
I like them too…I read an article (I think on NPR) a while back about a philosophy professor (or something like that) teaching classes on proverbs (of all types, not just Proverbs) as a means of teaching ethical decision making and such in elementary schools. I *wish* I could find the darn article again, because it was really good and, I think, would make a great topic on its own…but, either way, I’m thinking I might take a little departure from the Delphic Maxims here and there and maybe going with some Seneca or something.
April 24th, 2013 at 10:00 pm
I am very discontented by Life. And not because “Life Sucks” or things aren’t going my way. But because it does not make sense. I never “learn” from mistakes what other people do. Both lesson and outcome either fly straight over me, or cause endless confusion. Therapy hasn’t worked.
Life has to make enough sense to learn from it, to understand how Life works. I’m 35 and it still doesn’t make any sense.