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My New Year's Resolutions

Posted by Lara Masters at 14:24 on 5 Jan 2009

Lara's blog, New Years Eve, Marie Claire

It’s time to make New Year’s resolutions and I've been thinking about what I really want from my life. Oooooooh my head hurts. But that's because I have a big, fat hangover from my New Year's Eve terrorising Portobello and partying with my friends Moet and Chandon until 5am. Well, that makes my first New Year's Resolution a no-brainer; 1. Go to bed earlier.

I’ve been reading Seneca (C.5 BC-AD 65) 'On the Shortness of Life' and essentially his point is that, despite the rather misleading title, life is not short but we choose to fritter away our time on 'busy idleness'. Like drinking too much Merlot, eating a pack of mince pies and going on Facebook. For example. I'm not saying that's me, I'm just imagining that might be a way that someone could while away a few hours of their life and get nothing for it except tummy ache. And being back in touch with the boy you snogged when you were fifteen. (Hi Adrian.)

Many of us spend a lot of time wishing that our lives were different in some way but not being prepared to make the necessary changes. Because that takes effort. So resolution number two is; Kick self up arse.

I watched 'The Bucket List' (terrible Morgan Freeman /Jack Nicholson film) but the premise is they’re both dying of cancer so make a list of things to do before they kick the bucket. Then they trot around the globe visiting Paris, the Taj Mahal and the pyramids leaving as their legacy a large carbon footprint and a chunk of (non-transferable) air-miles. So enlightening… but it made me think… what does give life meaning? Resolution no. 3 is therefore; Find meaning of life.

I have a degenerative nerve condition and don't know how long I’ve got left with any function. Of course there are treatments being developed and maybe the medical profession will come up with something that can help but there are no guarantees so the pressure is on for me to find the point of my existence, the epicenter of my soul; how to weave golden thread from strands of time like Rumpelstiltskin.

I know living what is considered to be a fulfilling existence is subjective but if any of you have found your Holy Grails, please share in the box below. And I don’t mean to be judgemental but I don’t think the latest X-Box or most creative 'adult education' website counts.

 

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Entertaining as always! Indeed a brain numbing concept that brings realization of my unproductive existence. Perhaps trying to leave a legacy so one is not forgotten is the obvious and rather traditional answer. Perhaps it's simply as per John Locke's concept of "the pursuit of happiness". Very vague I know but what could it be?
Comment by D on January 05 16:28

Lara,

A little deep this week... Mmmm resolution number 3 no doubt got your reader's thinking caps on!

Certainly got mine in gear.. although currently only in 1st...

Hmmm .. Maybe...'the meaning of life' is to actually search to find our purpose and meaning of life... and if that is the case then maybe it's best if we don't do it in too much of a hurry. Maybe the most fun is simply in searching...
It may be similar to a school crush... like that boy you/I liked back at school. The one that made your heart flutter, the one you/I had an unexplainable attraction to... an attraction you couldn't pin point as you really didn't know what it was about him you actually liked... and one day... bang.. shazam... it all became apparent... and the attraction is gone...

... or maybe not... who knows?!

PS Keep well away from Avenue Q
...A very funny show it may be but the muppeteers do a Nicholson on you making you think of life's 'purpose'!
Comment by Ginche on January 05 16:49

We are all in a terminal condition and rather than avoid that reality we might find that facing it could be liberating. The fear of failure, which stops many of us doing what we want or doing what would be beneficial to us and people around us, is frankly put into context by the ever present reminder of our own impermanence. I think we should all have tombstones as bedsteads with on it engraved our names and a blank for the death date. Maybe some witty comment like 'get your arse out of bed' would also help? Or alternatively something to the effect 'yeah, pain and effort is in everything, even avoidance and procrastination, so just do it'.

As for doing something meaningful in life...well it should give you and people around you some pleasure or benefit. Ultimately our whole existence is pretty absurd and meaningless so finding and giving things meaning and value is really a form self validation and motivation - a helpful trick of the mind but not to be shunned if it works. Maybe we should look this whole meaning of life thing more lightly and not expect it to be quite so monumental?

Comment by adriano leto on January 05 18:29

The point of existance.... that sounds so uncomfortable, i think i'd rather find a comfortable hammock on a beach of existance myself
Comment by Orang on January 05 20:10

Do you need to find the meaning of life to lead a life of meaning?
Comment by Tang on January 05 20:20

Life can be empty of meaning and meaningful- what lies in between?


Comment by E. Monk on January 05 20:23

In functional or operational terms the 'meaning' of an object/event is defined its effect. From this perspective,it is not up to you to find the meaning of life, but for others to tell you what meaning your life has on them.....
Happy 2009 lara,may it bring many more of your funny blogs
Comment by Bono Bo on January 05 20:28

The latest Xbox 360 Live is awesome. But so is the Playstation 3. Dilemma, which one do I buy?

Regards, Mikael
Comment by Mikael on January 06 12:44

i think you are one of the most inspirational people i have been blessed to meet and i will be forever thankful to have been chosen for the show. your existence on this earth could be to show others that being confined to a wheelchair doesn't mean anything because look at what you are and already have accomplished in your fabulous life :-) i firmly believe that the lord never gives a person too much to bear in regards to life struggles, so the fact that you were given this hardship to bear and that you are successfully dealing with it, just shows what an incredible human being you are! happy 2009 lara and i hope that one day our paths will cross again...
Comment by Jenny Johnson on January 11 22:36


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