Effort

It is quite natural to attempt to minimize the effort exerted to achieve a certain task. I think this concept is often incorrectly extrapolated, however, to include Life as one of those tasks. Like a cherished activity or object of curiosity, Life is meant to be explored, enjoyed. One should indulge in it, not because one has to, but because one wants to. Life is meant to be loved.

And a funny thing about love, is that it is not a silver-bullet kind of solution. I don't believe one achieves a "loving" state and then can stay in it forever, enjoying perpetual peace and kindness. (Well, maybe some people can, but they also claim enlightenment, and that is not a topic I'm referring to today). If you love something dearly, I don't think it means that you will forever be happy with it. Say you love Life. Great! The sun rises and warms your skin, the air feels fresh, the colors brighten your vision, the birds sing, the trees sway, the people around you enrich your perspective and you find yourself, your own reflection in them. Awesome! You're loving Life! Will you rise up again tomorrow with that same attitude? Could be. Maybe even better. Great! How about tomorrow? Could be. Maybe even better. Or maybe you ran out of cereal and forgot to get some from the store, so you couldn't have your usual breakfast. Will you still love Life? Very probably. What's some cereal to someone who loves Life?

I think, however, that love can fade. That it does, like everything left unattended in this world. The brightest paint fades away with time. Flowers bloom, then they wilt. Wood rots, metal corrodes, rock erodes, creatures decay, memories fade, feelings fade. If you want to preserve something, you need to feed it, replenish it. A car won't keep rolling if you stop pumping gas into the engine. Love between a man and a woman starts with a tremendous spark of passion and caring, but it rarely lasts long if not cared for. Or so I'm told. And Life probably won't remain bright and wondrous if you stop making an effort. What is love for Life fed with? I'm gonna go with Will. The Will to live, Will to explore, Will to DO. I myself have lost that quite a few times.

Take care of what you love. While one might wish for an eternal happily-ever-after solution for all of life's situations, be aware that the world rarely works that way. Time is the Destroyer, so we should act as the Preserver. And do remember that if you love something dearly enough, the effort required to preserve it will not seem like an effort at all.