The Purpose of Life

The purpose of life is to fight maturity.
—Title of yesterday’s post at Bob and Sophie’s French Adventure

Do you agree with that? I sure do. I’ve been spending a lot of time the past few days playing with magic markers, watercolors, tempera, different paint brushes, etc. I’m not trying to produce anything resembling art, I’m just seeing how colors mix, and what color combinations and lines and shapes move me. It’s a fun exercise in Beginner’s Mind, and it’s a great way to get out of our linear left brains.

Do you ever do something for the sheer joy of it?


 

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16 Responses to The Purpose of Life

  1. Rummuser says:

    Surely, that would depend on how one defines ‘maturity’. If that is to live a life without purpose, just drifting along enjoying every moment as it happens, then I am all for that.

  2. tammyj says:

    count me in!
    always room for more tea in my cup.

  3. Audra E says:

    Doing something for the sheer joy of it sounds like maturity to me. It’s the faux maturity of adulthood that makes people think they must always be …. what? “productive”? nose to the grindstone?

    • Jean says:

      I think being productive is appropriate at a certain stage of life. But we’ve been there, done that. It’s harvest time.

  4. KB says:

    I couldn’t agree more. I definitely do things purely for the joy of them. In my opinion, that’s what life is all about!

  5. Evan says:

    I was old way too young. I’m younger now.

  6. Ursula says:

    “The purpose of life is to FIGHT maturity”. Sorry, Jean, rarely have I heard/read something more stupid and meaningless.

    U

    • Jean says:

      Do you really think it’s more stupid than “Happiness as a spiritual practice?” I’m surprised.

      I assume you think stupid and meaningless isn’t a good thing. What do you find smart and meaningful?

    • Ursula says:

      Yes, Jean, the happiness quote does come a close second. Though did make me smile. More to do with you than the actual content.

      What do I “find smart and meaningful”? How long have you got? In short: I like people to engage brain, their own, not run with the herd. Provide substance behind their reasoning. Whether I agree or not with them is immaterial.

      Secondly, I hope people go with their heart, their gut instinct. Vaguely linked to emotional warmth which is enormously important to me. If you want to finish me off, making me limp away like a dog with its tail between the legs, be like a cold fish. Even tepid gives me goose pimples.

      Whilst the occasional indifferent shrug of the shoulder is ok I like nothing more than someone being engaged in what they are doing, a bit of passion. Which is why I like your narrative on, say, Andy and his fruit tree planting; why I liked your recent (can’t remember where this minute) comment that you will try your hand on paint/water colours even if you don’t amount to Jackson Pollock. By the way, and I may be off the mark here: I sometimes think you do undersell yourself. Not that you are on the market. You know what I mean.

      U

    • Jean says:

      I don’t have any trouble getting engaged. I do sometimes have trouble tearing myself away to eat and sleep.

      I was interested in your remark that you think I sometimes undersell myself. You’re certainly right that I’m not trying to sell myself, impress other people. I do what I love and am happy to share it with other people if they’re interested. My experience has been that a lot of people aren’t.

      About being stupid — I have a childlike enthusiasm that many people think is stupid. I told an in-law once, “There is a difference between being silly and being stupid.” She wasn’t convinced. Another friend/acquaintance once said, “Maybe you do know something, Jean. I always thought you were happy because you were stupid.” And when one fellow learned I had graduated Phi Beta Kappa in physics from Stanford about ten years before, he decided that Stanford must have had a lot lower standards when I was there. So the term stupid tends to crack me up. 🙂

    • Ursula says:

      Thank you for your reply, Jean. Let’s rephrase what I said: Maybe not so much ‘undersell’ yourself as being far too modest. Hiding your light underneath the proverbial bushel. Which is fine. I once had a friend who you remind me of. Someone very accomplished. And shy. We couldn’t have been more different, yet complemented each other perfectly. I am very fond of her and all our shared memories, the things she taught me. We were twelve. Two fine years. Our lives went separate ways because my parents moved. Many years later I found her again – by accident. In our early Twenties we worked for the same company. In different cities. Crazy. Last time I saw her was just before I was leaving for England. Intermittently I will pick up the phone, usually on her birthday (14 Dec), and it’s like yesterday.

      Child like enthusiasm is never stupid, Jean. It’s not even silly. It’s what it is: Enthusiasm. An appetite for life. A quality I cherish in anyone.

      U

  7. Cathy in NZ says:

    in the last week, with my home online connection “gone on holiday” I have been browsing radio channels and finding which have more speech rather than music…there are plenty music channels.

    of course, I have waiting in my studio a big bunch of brand new coloured pens – waiting for me to play with them! I bought them using a voucher I got a few months ago which I keep forgetting to use…

    • Jean says:

      Have you played with them yet? It sounds as if it’s a good time to do it. As you know, I love colors! And it seems to me that’s a good break from your Uni activities.

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