What Are We Searching For?
I’m always looking for new books, podcasts, movies or shows to add to my list of things to read, watch or listen to. Recently I discovered a podcast by Anderson Cooper. It’s not about an uplifting subject by any means…it’s actually about grief. But I am enjoying it because I appreciate his honesty, and his willingness to share stories about his life that are so unbelievably painful and heart-wrenching in order to give other people the space to do the same. He is a brilliant journalist and a talented writer, and I am so glad I found his podcast. Interestingly enough, in one of the episodes, he mentions a favorite book of his, Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. I haven’t read it yet, but it did put me on the path for today’s post… What the heck are we searching for and why? Will our search ever end…
This seems like a deep topic for a blog post, especially from me. I like to keep things light, and I certainly don’t want to dive into a philosophical conversation about why we’re here on this earth (but if you know, by all means, please shoot me an email, I’d love to know). But I can’t ignore the fact that lately I have been searching for something. When I say lately, I mean over the past couple of years. I thought writing this blog would be fulfilling, and don’t get me wrong, it is. But I can’t shake this feeling like there’s still something out there for me. I know I’m not the only one feeling this way. It reminds me of that U2 song, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. Will I ever feel totally satisfied with my life, and is there danger in striving for more?
Some people say yes there is. While doing some research for this post, I stumbled upon a fellow blogger and writer named Mark Manson. He has a fascinating article about personal happiness and the danger in striving for more. If we are constantly wanting more and more, are we missing out on what we already have? What should we know about our current level of contentment? I’ll put a link to the article at the end of this post. It’s a must read!
I know I’ve asked a lot of questions this week, and I haven’t provided a lot of answers. It’s because I don’t have any! I am on a journey of self-discovery like some of you, and I guess we are just going to have to figure it day by day. I know my personality though, and I think that I will always be looking for something. For me, the search is about learning and growing and changing. And I think that’s ok. Some people have crossed over to complete fulfillment, and that’s ok too. Maybe one day I’ll be on the other side; but until then, my search continues…