In Pursuit of Lost Causes...?

What do we chase, in life? What are we looking for?

Moreover, when we have dreams and chase them, are we merely tilting at windmills, or are we pursuing something real and tangible?

I remember a pretty "deep" conversation I was having with a trusted friend, many years ago, and she observed that I often seemed to be chasing impossible dreams.

Roughly translated: I had what seemed like fair enogh dreams and aspirations, but they just stood very little chance of happening, on account of human nature as it seems to repeatedly manifest itself on Planet Earth.

"Fair enough dreams" that blindly ignore the fact that most people are selfish and manipulative, not kind and supportive.

Granted, Diana was more of a paractical realist than I, by a far shot. She lived at the level of survival more than the level of personal realization and fulfillment.

Which I have never thought of my ideas as "lost causes," I have to confess that I have faced a lot of disappointments as a result of trying to pursue those dreams.

What I have learned — more times than I can count — is that only a very tiny minority really think my ideas are cool, while I mostly fail to see the sense behind most "popular opinion." It's an unfortunate dichotomy that seldom leads to success.

I suppose I should be content in the knowledge that I have stayed true to myself, even if it was not met with enthusiasm.

Which brings up the pressing question: Do we want to be authentic, or do we want to be successful?

Perhaps the two overlap more readily if you tend to be an "average" person (whatever THAT might be!) in ways that make your pursuit of authentic dreams more consumable.

It's a shame that we so often end up having to worry more about our practical ability to pay bills than about choosing and living an authentic lifestyle.

Ultimately, it seems to boil down to the fact that being of an idealistic nature can be a very challenging life path because life tend to support the "machine" we've built for humanity, and any deviance comes at a price.

I guess I'll keep on being a deviant!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great week ahead!

How about YOU? What does happiness mean, to YOU? Do you find it in small moments? Do you think permanent happiness is possible? Do you ever think people miss out on life because they are too focused on finding happiness? Leave a comment if you feel so inclined — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!

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Created at 2025.10.19 23:47 PDT
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