The Perfect Morning

Context:
A chill morning, I woke up early and walked to my local coffee shop. Got myself coffee and a bagel, and felt a special kind of bliss for no apparent reason.

It is strange how our emotions fluctuate. The same person can feel ecstatic in one situation and down in another, even if they are similar. All human attempts to bring in a constant to our lives fail miserably. We can practice being grateful, humble, and empathetic, but it only takes a tiny change to bring our lives tumbling down. One task left unfinished, one bad night's sleep, is all it takes to be the butterfly wing flap behind the storm currently threatening your state of mind. I've always been amazed by how little variance is needed to generate chaos.

That said, should we succumb to the fatality of life, or should we keep trying? Giving up is analogous to a downward spiral. Giving up means that the slight variance that created chaos will recursively loop and amplify until we reach the break-point, or what people cooler than me call rock bottom.

What's the solution, then, smart-ass?

There is none, or should I say, me a measly low IQ individual cannot think of one. Although, one can find solace in the story of Sisyphus. Sisyphus was a Greek king who was condemned by the gods to roll a boulder up a hill for eternity. The boulder would always roll back down before he could reach the top, but Sisyphus never gave up. He kept trying, day after day, for all eternity.

Sisyphus being sentenced to roll a boulder endlessly up a hill is undoubtedly a reflection of the nature of human life. However, and this is where I disagree with many interpretations, the takeaway here is not that life is misery and that we will never achieve what we set out to do. In my opinion, the takeaway is that Sisyphus, although conscious of the fact that he will never be able to carry the boulder all the way to the top, keeps trying again and again for what turns out to be an eternity. For Sisyphus, surrender is not an option, as each attempt brings him momentarily close to the summit, providing a fleeting yet powerful sense of achievement.

To be continued...