-Wednesday, December 05, 2007
What keeps us going?
I walked into the maternity ward which was decked in vanilla white paint. Behind the glass were rows of babies identified by serial numbers. They were either wrapped in baby blue, pink towels. All at rest, sleeping peacefully. And all of them looked the same.
Then I was at the cemetery. Rows of graves were popping out like mushrooms over a plain. It was so dead quiet, literally. Some were well maintained, others had weed grown over it and the others were sinking into the ground. All of them looked the same, except for one. It read:
"Here lays a man who lived his life for others. Although he was not the brightest among the rest, he always gave his all to people around him. He was a successful businessman, doting father, loving husband, filial son and a loyal friend." The rest of the words seemed to be eroded by the rain.
Maybe that whats I want mine to read. What's yours?
What do we live for, what keeps us going? For money, and the things it can do. When we were younger, we lived for the fun everyday with our childhood friends. A little older, we go day by day just for that piece of paper that puts us into secondary education. And then, we work for another piece. And another. And another. When it comes to the last piece, you're compared. Compared with all others who have that piece. And then you slog. You work for your promotion, the monthly salary. You build a family. Maybe there's something to live for, after all. Your perfect spouse, so you thought. You have kids. They turn from adorable toddlers to pains in the neck. But you still love them anyway. You keep working, you work to keep the food on the table, for your kid's future. You have to make sure your retired mom and dad don't go hungry too. Oblivious to you, your kids are following the same route you've taken. You retire, they take your responsibility. Soon enough, you're gone.
What does this mean? What do we actually live for? Today? I don't know. I'm just taking a day at a time, and see what good tomorrow has in store for me. I'll keep finding whats to live for, whats going to be in store, whats good for me, tomorrow.
Yeechien Wrote;
10:30 PM
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