The Road to Happiness
By Anonymous
The essay “On Being Aimless” reminded me of my grandfather when we talked about the anxieties that consume our mind and prevent us from truly relaxing, living our lives, and enjoying activities. My grandfather lived in New York City in the 1970’s and he would go on long walks and talk to people he saw along the way. He was really able to “resist the voice in [his] head telling [him he] had better things to do” and practice aimlessness. He was able to free himself from the constant worries about what comes next and be truly free in those moments. I think it is very rare in today’s society for a person to be able to say no to that voice in our heads and take time to truly enjoy things.
I connect with ideas from “Beyond a Life in the Red,” also relating to my grandparents. They were well-educated but they did not take the path that would lead them to wealth and fortune; they chose a path that would allow them to dedicate a large portion of their time to their family. As a result, when they became older, it seemed like they did not possess very much in terms of material wealth and they relied on their children for support. However, my grandfather used to say that “I’m the richest person in the world for having my kids.” He had lived his life as he chose and done things that meant the most to him; it wasn’t about the house or car or anything monetary like that. I hope to be able to maintain that perspective as I move through life and find a way to balance all of the noise around me with trying to discover what true life really is.