知道自己是有期限的,像装了沙子的玻璃瓶。
i can't remember the last book which grabs my attention in every way. the humour, the self-flagellation... arhh... and the romantic delusions. oh well, maybe "veronica decides to die". but that is a whole other story.
i found this "geography of bliss" book in the pantry and now i'm halfway into the Bhutan chapter. i read it when i am having meal breaks everyday now. for one, i don't look like a total fool eating all by myself and second, i have an excuse to be a unsociable human being, and third, i actually enjoyed the book.
the author's quest to find who, when, where and how to achieve "happiness" is indeed enlightening. there are certain anecdotes which stayed with me for a while. until i forget them twenty minutes later.
this, is a passage between the Author and a Bhutan monk/intellectual named Karma.
"Karma, are you happy?"
"Looking back at my life, I find that the answer is yes. I have achieved happiness because I don't have unrealistic expectations."
"Do you have bad days?"
"Yes, but it's important to put them in the perspective of insignificance. Even if you have achieved great things, it is a sort of theater playing in your mind. You think it so important, but actually you have not made such a difference to anyone's life."
Now. i am just a flesh and blood atheist full of anger and envy. i have good days, mostly bad ones these days. but i think i "get" what the Karma is saying. this sense of "peace" you have to make with yourself, is what allows you to appreciate what you have.
alas. i still feel angry. mainly because i got a parking summon yesterday for not parking in a "bracket" in an overcrowded parking space. i tried to show the town council my monthly pass this morning but to no avail. after paying the fine and a mere 10 hours later i got another summon smugly tug under my windshield wiper because i forgot to stick back the said monthly pass that i so fervently waved in front of the authority in hopes of some kind of waiver....
i think i wrote this post just to justify the last bit.
*sigh*