A little rule, a little sway,
A sunbeam in a winter's day,
Is all the proud and mighty have
Between the cradle and the grave.
That is from John Dyer's poem Grongar Hill. I think it is a beautiful quote that more people should view their lives through. It sounds fatalistic to some, but I rather like the idea that little of what I do matters in the grand scheme of time and the universe. In a thousand years from now, if I am not remembered or venerated, I would not be bothered. I am content to carve out meaning for my life in the small sphere where it exists, and do not require some larger understanding of what it all means and why we're all here. I don't know precisely why I was thinking of all this, but it struck me today as I studied for an exam.
I remember watching an interview with biologist and anti-theist Richard Dawkins, and he was asked by an Irish Catholic audience member if (loosely paraphrased) 'there is no God and no meaning or purpose to the universe, isn't that horribly depressing?' Dawkins countered that if there is no design or purpose to our existence on this planet, it is in fact liberating, because now we can all create our own purpose--pursue our own plans or goals and dreams, and not have to work towards some determined endgame. It is this interview that I probably had in mind when I came across Dyer's quote again today, because it says that being rich and powerful is transient. I regard ephemeral wealth and power as a pursuit unworthy of serious effort once the wealth surpasses the scope of modest comforts like comfortable chairs and nice shoes.
I look forward to deciding on my purpose and attacking it with gusto, but now I am going to sleep. For all I know, my purpose may be to sleep and browse the Internet to absorb random and spurious trivia. I hope it is that, because I'm quite good at that as we speak.
A sunbeam in a winter's day,
Is all the proud and mighty have
Between the cradle and the grave.
That is from John Dyer's poem Grongar Hill. I think it is a beautiful quote that more people should view their lives through. It sounds fatalistic to some, but I rather like the idea that little of what I do matters in the grand scheme of time and the universe. In a thousand years from now, if I am not remembered or venerated, I would not be bothered. I am content to carve out meaning for my life in the small sphere where it exists, and do not require some larger understanding of what it all means and why we're all here. I don't know precisely why I was thinking of all this, but it struck me today as I studied for an exam.
I remember watching an interview with biologist and anti-theist Richard Dawkins, and he was asked by an Irish Catholic audience member if (loosely paraphrased) 'there is no God and no meaning or purpose to the universe, isn't that horribly depressing?' Dawkins countered that if there is no design or purpose to our existence on this planet, it is in fact liberating, because now we can all create our own purpose--pursue our own plans or goals and dreams, and not have to work towards some determined endgame. It is this interview that I probably had in mind when I came across Dyer's quote again today, because it says that being rich and powerful is transient. I regard ephemeral wealth and power as a pursuit unworthy of serious effort once the wealth surpasses the scope of modest comforts like comfortable chairs and nice shoes.
I look forward to deciding on my purpose and attacking it with gusto, but now I am going to sleep. For all I know, my purpose may be to sleep and browse the Internet to absorb random and spurious trivia. I hope it is that, because I'm quite good at that as we speak.
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