As we age, we are confronted with many of our limitations and are forced to face hard truths. Coming to terms with the fact we won't see most the world is one of those lessons.
It's a good feeling to have, Justin, to be satisfied with what we've achieved, with what we've seen and experienced, and still to have the energy and desire to do more.
Absolutely! I only wish this realization had sunk in sooner. It would have saved me a lot of anxiety and restlessness but then again, I suppose it’s only natural to feel that way when you are younger and just takes time for life to teach you a few things.
Interesting. I have no desire to see the entire world, but at age sixty-one, I do feel a sense of urgency to use my time as wisely as possible. For me, that doesn't mean seeing the "must-sees," like the Taj Mahal or the Great Wall of China, but as long as my health allows me, to live in different places, get up in the mornings and picking a direction to walk and see what the world is like where I happen to be.
I can empathize with the points you make. The world expands after every step you take further into it. There is no way to cover all the places and events that suddenly seem so essential to experience. Like you, I just hope to keep doing it as long as possible.
My favorite line: Gratitude for all the places I’ve been fortunate to visit. I’ve been lucky to see what I’ve already seen. I had that book ‘1000 places to visit…’ once and I gave it away. I decided seeing all of those wasn’t possible and my list of things I want to see has changed over the years. I have a few more bucket list places but I also am completely satisfied if I don’t get there and I relish what I’ve experienced. Thanks for this reminder!
Thank you Marlo for reading and sharing your thoughts. Very true. Same with all the books we’d love to read but know we’ll only get to a small fraction of them.
I have been thinking about this topic recently, too, Justin. I am 74 now and have come to the conclusion that I won't be able to explore all of the places in the world that I would like to. And I am ok with that. I have lived in 5 countries and spent time in many more, and for that I am very grateful.
This reminds me of something I heard in my Sangha of The Village Zendo, that gratitude turns what we have into enough. This is what i kept thinking as I read this. I relate to everything about this post. It’s nice to feel less frantic about what I haven’t done yet, when I can instead focus on and be grateful for what I have done and what I already have.
It's a good feeling to have, Justin, to be satisfied with what we've achieved, with what we've seen and experienced, and still to have the energy and desire to do more.
Absolutely! I only wish this realization had sunk in sooner. It would have saved me a lot of anxiety and restlessness but then again, I suppose it’s only natural to feel that way when you are younger and just takes time for life to teach you a few things.
Well said Yasmin! Thank you! 😊
Interesting. I have no desire to see the entire world, but at age sixty-one, I do feel a sense of urgency to use my time as wisely as possible. For me, that doesn't mean seeing the "must-sees," like the Taj Mahal or the Great Wall of China, but as long as my health allows me, to live in different places, get up in the mornings and picking a direction to walk and see what the world is like where I happen to be.
I can empathize with the points you make. The world expands after every step you take further into it. There is no way to cover all the places and events that suddenly seem so essential to experience. Like you, I just hope to keep doing it as long as possible.
My favorite line: Gratitude for all the places I’ve been fortunate to visit. I’ve been lucky to see what I’ve already seen. I had that book ‘1000 places to visit…’ once and I gave it away. I decided seeing all of those wasn’t possible and my list of things I want to see has changed over the years. I have a few more bucket list places but I also am completely satisfied if I don’t get there and I relish what I’ve experienced. Thanks for this reminder!
Thank you Marlo for reading and sharing your thoughts. Very true. Same with all the books we’d love to read but know we’ll only get to a small fraction of them.
I have been thinking about this topic recently, too, Justin. I am 74 now and have come to the conclusion that I won't be able to explore all of the places in the world that I would like to. And I am ok with that. I have lived in 5 countries and spent time in many more, and for that I am very grateful.
This reminds me of something I heard in my Sangha of The Village Zendo, that gratitude turns what we have into enough. This is what i kept thinking as I read this. I relate to everything about this post. It’s nice to feel less frantic about what I haven’t done yet, when I can instead focus on and be grateful for what I have done and what I already have.
So well put Amanda! Totally agree, there’s such a calming sense that comes with gratitude. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts! Cheers!