Energy
Where is God in it?
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By Jeremy Lopez
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If the idea of selling everything and living out of a backpack on the road sounds like a nightmare instead of a grand adventure, this post might not be for you. If challenging the status quo and questioning societal norms in the pursuit of a full and satisfying life sounds intriguing, then let's continue.
The beauty of friendship is that conversations tend to draw out aspects of yourself that otherwise would have been left untouched and dormant, or at the very least overlooked or ignored.
What follows is a paraphrased snippet of a conversation I think some might find helpful, while others might classify as heresy in light of the Gospel of the American Dream. Take your pick.
1: "Anybody else go through phases where they want to crush and be super productive, then have phases where you want to sell everything, quit your job, buy a dope camper van, live off the grid, and be self-sufficient?"
2: "Yes. Currently in the latter."
1. "I'm sitting in my house, listening to music, 115% content, and I know this is going to sound so hippy, but all I need is this, the people I love..."
2. "I agree. I did have the thought recently that 'this is enough,' and I want to be very, very careful what I trade off going forward in the pursuit of career/etc. I want to continue to grow as a person, but I want to acknowledge that the pursuit of more isn't going to increase my happiness and satisfaction."
1. "It's almost like life, as a whole, has gotten so easy and convenient, with very few real problems, that we go out of our way to find more problems and illusions to breed discontentment, instead of just being."
2. "And what a tragedy to never wake up to that. I'm guilty of it, but I have pockets of clarity, like now, where I recognize it."
1. "I think I understand why minimalism is appealing to many people. You wake up one day and realize there is a gradual, slow trend where life becomes more complicated and heavier as we pursue what everyone else expects us to do. Then, to someone who has everything they could ever need, getting rid of it all sounds appealing."
The conversation continued, but the moral of the story is to find yourself some great friends like mine, ones that will gladly follow you down the rabbit hole of life's musings, holding in tension the competing desires of adventure and responsibility.
I share this conversation, because I know it speaks to a question many of us ponder—"What is it you plan to do with your one, wild, precious life?" For your sake, for all our sake, I hope it's something that makes you come alive and the world a better place, with your friends alongside you, cheering you through every step.
Chase Butler
