Logotherapy

I'm bored.

What a horrendous utterance! But it's true. I'm completely bored. I have lots I can and should be doing, yet I'm not. I have no will to meaning right now; well, I'm not realizing that meaning currently at least.

I read a book recently called Man's Search for Meaning. I highly recommend it!

Meaning should be the driving force in our lives. Without meaning, why do we continue to live? Why do we not take our own lives? Perhaps the apathy and lethargy that has seeped into our pores is often the very thing keeping us from suicide; our lack of decisiveness to even kill ourselves. Or perhaps it's the artificial, superficial highs of life that keep us distracted from the severe lows that unavoidably follow... at. least sometimes

By comparison, most would probably say that I live a life of meaning and purpose. And I often do. But it's hard to live in a blazing house without getting burned. Naturopaths say that the acidic nature of our bodies is the underlying cause of much of the disease we encounter. That if we would just eat to properly alkalize the pH of our body, many of the health issues that ale us, would disappear.

I run into many people who know their diet is awful. They are convicted to change it, but they don't. Knowledge is of no benefit to these people. I see the same thing in life issues. I have many friends who know the lifestyle they are living is killing them physically, mentally, morally, spiritually, or all of the above, yet they continue to live this way. And I'm not excluded.

My point is, understanding meaning does nothing if you are continually surrounded by lifestyle pollution. Excessive entertainment, lack of rewarding labor, rampant sexuality, a dearth of moral absolutes, disbelief in an ultimate being (God), disregard for our physical health, consumerism, superficiality, short attention spans, great faith in politics/government, idolatry of celebrities are all examples of pollutants that make it nearly impossible to have a truly worthwhile existence.

We accomplish very little, and the things we do accomplish are often lacking significance in the big scheme of things. We are left asking the question, "Why did I work so hard on that? Was it only for pride?" Or even asking if our accomplishments are helping the world or tearing it apart. Society encourages to not ask these questions, but rather buy into the idea of having fun today! Carpe Diem!!! We do this so much that our later years our destroyed by the effects of our "fun," thus we are ill-equipped to fulfill some basics of man's purpose by the time we're middle-aged. Then we are sorry and bored, rather than vital and progressive.

Living fully requires, I believe, a mixture of interaction and separation. A person must keep oneself free from the toxic effect of society. But man also desires to be courageous, which may require diving into the vat of suffering to save one being eaten alive by despair. Suffering is sometimes not avoidable, and can teach a lot; but suffering sacrificially solidifies a reason of being and inspires the world to find that same reason.

Why so bored? Because I'm closing my eyes. I'm being apathetic today. My work is not giving me meaning because it isn't always making the world better. Because I'm busy playing with expensive toys I've bought, rather than connecting with the least of these. The truth is, the least of these don't even exist when I'm the only one who matters in my world. Today the focus is on me, so unless I'm reason enough (in and by myself) to have meaning, it just will not exist. I need an outside source.