Be careful what you wish for

I sometimes wonder whether the human condition is ruled entirely by desires. Its quite possible. The reigning emotion at any given time in a person's head is a need or a want. Mostly a want, needs are not that pressing.

We want more love, attention, money, clothes, a new stereo (ouch I'm behind times, I meant iPhone), more of everything that makes us feel good. Or maybe not. I know a lot of people (namely me) who seem to want things that make them miserable. The stuff fulfils a want and gives momentary gratification. For some people (me again) that is enough. That is what makes the day pass, that is what makes every night bearable.

I think that that is perhaps because wants and needs aside, fear perhaps is also a competitive reigning emotion. In fact I think fear trumps almost all the time. We fear what we can become. Both good and bad. We fear the pain and stress it takes to do us good, to make us be healthy. We fear vice, but vice can be comforting too. Its easier to fear amiguous good than to fear definite bad.

Our wants and wishes are thus probably misdirected or misguided. We tend to want somthing that seems to be for the best, but is ephemeral. I am not saying all of us are like this. I actually do know some clear thinking people who know what is good for them and stick to it. But for the most of us I think that the line between good and bad is not that clear.

I think that the only quality that can triumph in this mess is courage. That is never easy to come by. We all have a store of it but the weird thing is that to summon courage you first need some of it. A courageous person is the one who can blot out fear from his mind about his own self. Make peace with his wants and clarify his needs. A person who can clearly see the right path and not fear the pain associated with it.

This is difficult. I have just mused on it, just thought about it. I hope I have the courage to do something about it.