Good Example Of Essay On About Being

The words “the privilege of being” speak to me about the fragility of the human condition. It means that although we exist, we do so in an unsatisfactory and temporary way. Perhaps that is why so many references are made to people seeking the meaning of their lives, why the masses search for a greater purpose. The feeling of something not being quite right, or somehow inexplicably incomplete is often the motivating factor behind so many addictions or compulsions that manifest in our short lives. All the sick and suffering are acutely aware of the privilege of being: the alcoholic, the drug addict, the overeater, the sex fiend, the shoplifter, the religious zealot, the rapist, the obsessive compulsive, the manic depressive. This list is by no means exhaustive. We seek to truly connect with another individual. We hope that connection, once made, will fill a void deep within us. Eventually, we realize, we are truly alone in a crowd. We come to understand, as did the lady in the poem, how no one is aptly suited to take on the responsibility of making us feel okay, much less make us actually be okay. As Hemingway once wrote, “The only thing that could spoil a day is people”. We are fundamentally flawed on a basic human level.
I have felt this in relationships many times. With my spouse, my siblings, my friends, my parents, I have wanted more than was reasonable to expect from them. I have been selfish, self-centered and arrogant. I will continue to work on these character flaws for the rest of my life. My first reaction is most probably wrong. I will attempt to rethink before I react, in order so that I may hope to be a kinder, gentler version of myself. I hope to get better at it as I age and continue to practice co-existing with others and perhaps putting their interests before my own. I’ll ask myself, “What is my motivation?” I will seek personal fulfillment through appreciation of art and nature, through meditation and spiritual awareness rather than looking for it in others. I will strive to be content with myself and those around me.