As I sit near the beach close to my home, I am contemplating the tragic deaths of those who died in a recent crowd surge in Itaewon. The latest reports have the death toll at 151 with the vast majority of those who died under the age of 30. Most were in their early 20s. Halloween in Seoul did not become the joyous occasion everyone anticipated. I can’t help but ask the eternal question- why? Why did so many young kids lose their lives while people like myself struggle forward and continue to move on one step at a time?
I think none of us will ever know the answer to the above-mentioned question. Why some people live and others die will remain unanswered- at least in our lifetime. And perhaps that’s how it should be. We don’t know the workings of the Universe, even as it relates to our lives. If so, what question should we then ask or what should we do? It is obvious we cannot control events but it is equally obvious we can control our actions toward those events.
I think all of us must be grateful for our lives and those family members and friends in them. Gratefulness is something we all should feel regardless of how a bad day we are having. After all, we are still alive! Unlike the poor families who lost their sons and daughters, our families most probably do not have to mourn. But what else? Is gratefulness enough? I think the human soul strives for more than gratefulness. It strives for a sense of worth or accomplishment. Gratefulness is part of it. But so is striving to do something worthwhile.
For those of us who retired, a sense of worth no longer comes from a job or job title. Even some who continue to work may not feel self-worth through a job. I’ve read that approximately 75 % of those who work do not like their jobs. If that’s the case, where doe one find self-worth? The answer is obvious. By following your dreams or your passion. Or, by doing something that can make a difference in someone else’s life, no matter how small. Make someone happy today.
It’s really about honoring those who came before us or died before their time. Celebrate their lives by taking action- follow your dreams and make the most of your life. After all, that was what they were trying to do. What does that entail? Well, you need to think about a number of issues and ask yourself tough questions. Many people tend to work in jobs they don’t like or take up professions they are not too excited about because it’s easier to do so than really figure out what makes them happy. Figuring out what makes you happy and taking steps to follow your dreams may not be as easy as you think. You need to ask yourself a number of questions such as:
Many people, unfortunately, go through life without thinking seriously about their dreams, aspirations, and passions. They tend to stumble through life in a zombie-like manner. To honor those who came before you or who have died before their time, I think it is incumbent on all of us to think about our lives and how to make our lives richer and more fulfilling. To honor those before you, follow your dreams.
