Sunday 18 May 2014

Wholeness

I read this quote on a blog recently and I thought I'd share it.  It resonated strongly with me and I hope you can take something from it too.


“I actually attack the concept of happiness. The idea that - I don’t mind people being happy - but the idea that everything we do is part of the pursuit of happiness seems to me a really dangerous idea and has led to a contemporary disease in Western society, which is fear of sadness. It’s a really odd thing that we’re now seeing people saying “write down 3 things that made you happy today before you go to sleep”, and “cheer up” and “happiness is our birthright” and so on. We’re kind of teaching our kids that happiness is the default position - it’s rubbish. Wholeness is what we ought to be striving for and part of that is sadness, disappointment, frustration, failure; all of those things which make us who we are. Happiness and victory and fulfillment are nice little things that also happen to us, but they don’t teach us much. Everyone says we grow through pain and then as soon as they experience pain they say “Quick! Move on! Cheer up!” I’d like just for a year to have a moratorium on the word “happiness” and to replace it with the word “wholeness”. Ask yourself “is this contributing to my wholeness?” and if you’re having a bad day, it is.”

-Hugh Mackay

Ps. The blog I found it on is here if you are interested.  

I don't think the photo is entirely related, but its one of my favorites and surely I need a photo in every post.

1 comment:

  1. Absolutely agree. Try this one too: http://momastery.com/blog/2012/01/04/2011-lesson-2-dont-carpe-diem/

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