Posted by Dinah on December 18, 2009, at 19:55:43
In reply to what makes your life feel meaningful?, posted by obsidian on December 13, 2009, at 23:08:32
This may not be to the point really.
But I muse sometimes that the things that are meaningful are the things we imbue with meaning. That nothing is really meaningful in and of itself. But on the other hand, anything in life can be meaningful, if we make it so.
I don't really know how to say it.
But, it's kind of like Christmas dinner. It's a nice dinner and all. But it would be just another meal if it weren't *Christmas dinner*. Or to most people who meet my therapist, he's just an ordinary person with no more answers than anyone else. But to me he's my *therapist*. Is it because of any intrinsic quality of his? I think it's probably more that I imbued him with that power.
Home and family *could* just be a house and some people. How meaningful it is depends on our investment in it.
If that makes sense? I know I'm not saying it well.
One of my favorite books is "To Life!" by Harold Kushner. He talks a lot about making the ordinary extraordinary. My therapist tells me "The Practice of the Presence of God" has a similar point of view. Both are religious, but the points in "To Life!" I think would apply in a secular way too.
I don't know if I'm expressing it well. Or even if my thoughts are in any way to the point or of any interest. I just think on it a lot.
poster:Dinah
thread:929163
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20091125/msgs/929861.html