Yesterday, to take care of my weak liver, I spent a lot of time sleeping and lying in bed due to fasting. That made me think of our lives and realize we don’t have to rush in life. Today, I will talk about it.
How to be free from the rush in life
Sometimes, we want to relax and be free from the rush in life.
When we are in a hurry in life, we have negative feelings. Examples are the feeling of loneliness, the desire to be understood, emotional pain, physical exhaustion, and envy. We cannot be free from them, no matter how hard we make efforts.
In other words, we want to live at our own pace, not adding endurance.
However, we sometimes don’t know how to relax and resolve these feelings. Even if we know rationality can solve them, we don’t know the mental logic that clears such negativity.
To resolve it, I will introduce the metaphor of a backpack. This logic might allow you to relax and be free from the rush in life.
The metaphor of a backpack
The following metaphor might allow you to resolve your impatience with life.
Suppose we are carrying backpacks and live. Everyone has one and is climbing a mountain. The mountain is called Material Abundance. Those on the upper side are materially richer.
We want to be abundant. Even though we know there are various values, we wish to be materially wealthy. Of course, I also do! I want to be prosperous!
However, there is a fact that many people are not aware of: the difference in weight. Although our backpacks look similar, they have different weights. Some people carry 10 kg, others 100 kg.
The name of the backpack is individuality. We cannot change the weight. It is innate.
Most people have around 10kg. The people on the upper side have only 1kg. On the other hand, our backpacks are about 100 kg.
Why we cannot catch up
This metaphor tells us that it is natural that there is a difference in material abundance.
It is not due to your lack of effort. Far from being lazy, you are probably enduring more than anyone else to catch up to the normal people.
However, people, including yourself, don’t know there is a difference in the weight of the backpacks. That ignorance creates our rush in life and mental suffering.
For example, we have a minority personality. It increases the weight of our backpacks by 50kg. In my case, I have a naturally weak liver. It might be around 30 kg. Your uniqueness might increase by around 40 kg if you cannot work like a normal person in society. When you add all the other items, it becomes about 100 kg.
A person who carries that much weight, like you and I, it is natural that we cannot catch up to others. It would never bear fruit, no matter how hard we try.
Everyone believes we have equal backpacks, and that makes us feel inferior. That is why people tell those who are inferior to try their best. That makes us hurry in life, even though we are more enduring than others.
In other words, we have to accept the fact of the difference in the weight of backpacks and in material richness.
Being free from comparison
However, it doesn’t mean misfortune.
Although material abundance is one of the values, it is enough as long as we can climb the mountain. The feeling of becoming wealthier makes us 100 times happier than the speed of becoming rich. In other words, speed has almost nothing to do with happiness.
That tells us we don’t have to hurry in life. Even if no one around you understands you, I can understand the weight of your backpack and your difficulty. You are not alone.
Let those who weigh less battle for the lead of material abundance. We can walk at our own pace. We can enjoy even the small flowers by the roadside and the small improvements.
In addition, we will no longer look down on those who follow. They have heavier backpacks than us. We need to neither compare nor feel grateful. Being heavy is not unhappiness. There is no need to pity them. Rationally speaking, comparing itself is pointless.
There is no need to associate with either fast or slow people. Both are stressful. It is enough to help slower people when you feel like it. You need to force yourself neither to catch up ahead nor to help behind.
Sometimes, our heavy backpacks help us, especially during turbulent eras. While it is a burden for transportation, it brings us safety.
This is the neutral, rational state toward happiness. The weight of the backpacks has nothing to do with fortune.
Conclusion
That is the metaphor of a backpack.
Far from being lazy, you are working harder than anyone else to catch up to the usual people.
The weight of your backpack doesn’t mean misfortune. Speed has almost nothing to do with happiness. We can enjoy our lives as long as we can climb the mountain.
This logic might allow you to relax and be free from the rush in life.
Thank you for reading this article. I hope to see you in the next one.
