To be a conformist or not to be a conformist that is the question. I’ve spent the past week wondering about just that. You and I both know my answer without me having to say it explicitly. I also kept replaying the conversation I had with my trustee. Those two led me to the age old concept of happiness. How to get it, be it and stay it. Whenever I think about happiness I cannot help but remember the movie ‘’The Pursuit of Happiness’’ especially the part where Thomas Jefferson gets quoted. In the movie Chris (played by Will Smith) wondered how Thomas Jefferson knew to put pursuit in the Declaration of Independence. I however wonder why it is a pursuit? Or better yet does it really have to be? Can’t one just be happy?
All the above highlighted a conversation I had with a friend in Dubai. Just a little side note he met me at the possible high of my happiness. Anyways, he told me about his socks. Bear with me here, there is a point to be made, I promise. Apparently his socks never match and he couldn’t care less if they did. He wholeheartedly believes he and the entire world for that matter has better things to do than to hopelessly try to match their socks. Who made up the rule that socks have to match anyways? He asked me with a serious face. I honestly couldn’t think of a single reason why they should match. All I knew is that I myself had grown tired of matching my socks years ago therefore I now only own white and black socks from the same brand. I figured I solved the problem quite nicely. He continued by saying: ‘’Don’t be a conformist, there’s no reason why your socks should match’’. I knew in my heart of hearts that he was absolutely right.
When I think about life as it is at the moment, I know I’m going against my heart at full speed. Conformity is all around me, so much so that my body is rebelling. Yes, the hives are still present. I’m starting to believe they are here to stay. That a side, I just can’t help but wonder when the path of school-graduation-good job-marriage-kids became the blueprint for a happy life? For many this is what their pursuit of happiness is all about. The pursuit of having all that by the time they’re in their mid thirties/forties/fifties? I don’t know what the time limit is and frankly don’t really care. What I do care about is that I know many people who have all manifested the blueprint and are still not happy. Am I the only one who sees that in the blueprint there is a lot missing? Where is the realization of one’s dreams? The stretching of comfort zones, the excitement. Where is it?
I do have to say that I also know people who have manifested the blueprint and are happy. However they also still have a ‘’one-day’’ list. I have yet to find ‘’one-day’’ on the calendar. They, just as my trustee suggested, are postponing those things to a magical later where they will have the time to do it all. Chris ends the quote by saying that happiness perhaps is something we can only pursue but never obtain. To me this makes perfect sense. If one keeps postponing the things that contribute a great part to happiness, than yes it’ll forever be a pursuit. Obtaining it is a different case, that depends on what it is you want to do. I just can’t help but wonder why the blueprint is suggested for everyone as a sort of universal best way of living. Even though a great deal of the population has a ‘’one-day’’ list. In my believe a lot is wrong with that. Have we all been indoctrinated? If so, where is the antidote?
I know for a fact that the blueprint is not and will not work for me. Even my body knows. Had I continued to follow the blueprint I would’ve never made it to Dubai or any of the other places I’ve been. Also I would not have known happiness the way I do now. I guess I have now stumbled upon a paradox in life. Encouraged to live life to the fullest as long as we do it the way that is stated in the blueprint. Then to what is one supposed to conform to? Mixed matched socks seems to be the most logical way out of this maze. Right?
For now, the only direction I am willing to go full speed ahead in, is My Story of I. I wonder should I once again risk it all and see what happens?
Love,
DCPR.
Ps. You can continue this train of thought here.
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