jeremy borger [blog]

Do you ever have one of those moments where you su…

Do you ever have one of those moments where you suddenly realize what’s important in life? I didn’t have one right now, I’m just asking.

I’m not saying it’s an “Oh yeah!” moment where you realize everything you’ve been doing is wrong and you should really be heading in another direction, although that’s a possible scenario. What I’m saying is that there are things in this life that I know are important - God, friends, family, loving others, helping people, etc - but everyday life has a way of just making those things blend into the background. I get so wrapped up in my routine of eat, sleep, work, play that the things that are really important are at the back of my mind and the things that are pretty meaningless seem to occupy my time. Funny how that happens.

But there’s points in your life where suddenly the meaningless things get pushed to the back and the important things come to the forefront. That’s the moment I’m talking about. I think the September 11 terrorist attacks was one of those “moments” for the entire country. Suddenly a new episode of your favorite TV show or buying some new clothes at the store didn’t seem as important as telling your friends and family you love them, crying with someone whose son was killed in the Twin Towers, giving blood or donating your time and money to some charitable cause.

But then that fades. Remember how all those American flags started popping up everywhere after 9/11? And we had this great feeling of unity. And then all too quickly we went back to our bickering and our selfish ways.

I don’t think anyone can stay in that “moment” all the time. Well, maybe some people. Maybe Mother Theresa is always in that moment, in that state of mind. But I’d imagine it would be incredibly exhausting. Sometimes we need a break. Sometimes we need to watch “Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle” instead of thinking 24/7 about the horror of 150,000 people killed by a tsunami.

In the same way, we can’t always be on an emotional high, either. I remember when I got this marble rollercoaster thing for Christmas one year as a kid. I was ESTATIC! There’s video of it. I’m ripping open the box, screaming with joy. I wouldn’t want to be that way 24/7, either. I’d never get anything done. I couldn’t focus on my job, couldn’t make a living and would eventually die, clinging to that marble track with a smile on my face. At least I’d die happy. But again - that’s not focusing on what’s important. If you think the goal of life is to die happy, you need to do some reevaluating.

The emotional ups and downs are needed in life. But neither should be sustained for long periods of time. Super joy all the time would be unproductive and distracting. Super depression all the time… Well, people that have that today are given counseling or drugs or something because it’s not “normal”. We have to return to the normal balance in our lives.

Still, I think it’s good to have a moment of lucidity now and then about what’s important. I don’t think everyone has that. Or maybe they just don’t have it enough. It’s good to “rebalance” our thoughts, goals and views on what life’s all about now then.

And after that, go watch “Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle”. Great movie.