What is the purpose in life? Are we supposed to maximize productivity in this life? Are we meant to try and work towards dreams, we don’t even believe in? Is discipline and striving for what society labels as “success” the only key to happiness? It is possible that these things can lead to happiness but. maybe, love is the answer. Loving others and choosing to dare and take time to discover the path towards love and self discovery is risky, but it might pay off.

“…do not venerate and love it because it could turn into this or that, but rather because it is already and always everything— and it is this very fact, that it is a stone, that it appears to me now and today as a stone, this is why I love it and see worth and purpose in each of its veins and cavities, in the yellow, in the gray, in the hardness, in the sound it makes when I knock at it, in the dryness or wetness of its surface”

From Siddhartha Chapter 12

Image Source:
https://brianedenton.medium.com/coriolanus-and-the-stone-595500b69cca

NOTE: Spoilers for, the book, Siddhartha

Recently, I had the opportunity to read Siddhartha, which is great book about the philosophy of life. Siddhartha starts off in the Semanas with his best friend. As time goes on, he realizes that life in the Semanas did not appeal to him. He decides to leave and discover himself instead of staying back as Govinda, his friend, had decided on. Through his journey Siddhartha makes many mistakes and contemplates his life. He questioned if he had made the right decision. Siddhartha feels remorse and guilt for his actions and his failures. Later, he acquired knowledge from the river and realizes that his mistakes helped him love and discover himself. He was able to make peace with his decisions and lived happily. In the final chapter of the book, Siddhartha explains to Govinda using a metaphor about a rock, in the quote above. Siddhartha learns about the immense worth of love. All the pain, suffering, despair, and hardship that he faced was part of his journey. Siddhartha chose to risk everything and find his own happiness. He sees the worth flowing within the stone. He understands how to love and live his life in love after meeting his wife and son. Siddhartha’s story is a great example of following your passions and what you truly love. Today, many of us are caught up in being productive to make a living in the future. Although it is great to have a secure future, it is also important to ensure that you are happy. Conforming to society’s teachings, when it pains or is against your own ideas, isn’t acting out of love. To find love and passion, means listening to yourself not what other people tell you to believe. Discipline is a vital skill for success. Just make sure you use it to achieve your real dreams. Your passion. What you love to do.