I thought I was supposed to own a house by now and be settled into a career I could see myself doing for the next 20 years. Nobody ever sat me down and told me that. It was just the picture of adulthood I picked up from my parents, coworkers, and people I grew up around. Turns out most of the pressure came from expectations I never consciously chose.
You’ve presented lots of food for thought. Could it also be that oftentimes we don’t know what we don’t know, which is a culprit for us being behind? In other words, we may not know what else we could be doing or learning to be ahead. Life is mysterious in many ways. Many of us— not all — are likely doing the best we know how at any given moment 🤷🏽♀️.
Such wise words. Most of my life has been ruled by the anxiety of time and false deadlines. This idea of the banquet is one I’m going to carry with me. Cheers.
It is really good to slow down and indentify this in myself, which is the first step to sift a thought process. Most of us are living in the wrong reality.
We are not behind. We are waiting for the right timing. If our lives are orchestrated by an all-knowing, all-powerful Creator, we actually insult Him by saying the timing is not right. Time to live in more awareness of His timing.
The world offers a lot of standards. But are they our standards? Are they the standard of the Most High, the greatest time-keeper?!
This really names the scam behind that constant feeling of being behind: most of us are grading ourselves against a schedule we never actually chose, issued by parents, feeds, industries, and random strangers with suspicious lighting and a ring light. The banquet image helps because it doesn’t tell us to stop wanting things; it just reminds us not to spend the whole meal staring down the table like a starving raccoon with LinkedIn anxiety. Direction matters. The imaginary clock can go bother someone else.
This whole piece is profound!- as an avid 'comparer',, I have been feeling so left behind; despite putting in the work.I have gained so much new perspective to this whole thing.damn!
Problem is not that we are behind the schedule, it’s the reason behind it. If the root causes are fixable, we can work on it at our pace, without own timetable.
But what if the issue can not be fixed? How can we work toward it?
Could this have anything to do with the old saying that young people look to the future middle age people look to the past and the old people live in the present. Could this be why we usually see some of our senior citizens as wise. Because they dont compete. And they live in the present. With acceptance.
Such a great lesson on what “living in the moment” even really means.
A couple notes: The beginnings of these articles are always very exhilarating and refreshing, but as they go on I always lose that explorative feeling—there were a few moments that fell flat for the reader in this article especially, I think maybe from whatever generative ai tool was used (which I’m all for in helping assist writing, but you have to be careful in taming that “please-all” tone it gives).
I thought I was supposed to own a house by now and be settled into a career I could see myself doing for the next 20 years. Nobody ever sat me down and told me that. It was just the picture of adulthood I picked up from my parents, coworkers, and people I grew up around. Turns out most of the pressure came from expectations I never consciously chose.
I think the not knowing or the mystery is the best part of it.
You’ve presented lots of food for thought. Could it also be that oftentimes we don’t know what we don’t know, which is a culprit for us being behind? In other words, we may not know what else we could be doing or learning to be ahead. Life is mysterious in many ways. Many of us— not all — are likely doing the best we know how at any given moment 🤷🏽♀️.
Such wise words. Most of my life has been ruled by the anxiety of time and false deadlines. This idea of the banquet is one I’m going to carry with me. Cheers.
Run and run . It is farther my friend . and when you reach farther , you can't find it there .
Success, fame , name , happiness
We run toward them , but more we run, less we find .
Exhausted, folorn, betrayed, fatigued
These are what we are
It seems it's a plot prewritten by nature to keep us always running
While the social clock often leads to distress, there is also always the master clock (memento mori) ticking onwards and giving life urgency.
It is really good to slow down and indentify this in myself, which is the first step to sift a thought process. Most of us are living in the wrong reality.
We are not behind. We are waiting for the right timing. If our lives are orchestrated by an all-knowing, all-powerful Creator, we actually insult Him by saying the timing is not right. Time to live in more awareness of His timing.
The world offers a lot of standards. But are they our standards? Are they the standard of the Most High, the greatest time-keeper?!
This really names the scam behind that constant feeling of being behind: most of us are grading ourselves against a schedule we never actually chose, issued by parents, feeds, industries, and random strangers with suspicious lighting and a ring light. The banquet image helps because it doesn’t tell us to stop wanting things; it just reminds us not to spend the whole meal staring down the table like a starving raccoon with LinkedIn anxiety. Direction matters. The imaginary clock can go bother someone else.
This whole piece is profound!- as an avid 'comparer',, I have been feeling so left behind; despite putting in the work.I have gained so much new perspective to this whole thing.damn!
Problem is not that we are behind the schedule, it’s the reason behind it. If the root causes are fixable, we can work on it at our pace, without own timetable.
But what if the issue can not be fixed? How can we work toward it?
Helpful. Thanks for your contribution
Never compare yourself to others (including their time schedules) as there will always be those greater and lesser than yourself.
Could this have anything to do with the old saying that young people look to the future middle age people look to the past and the old people live in the present. Could this be why we usually see some of our senior citizens as wise. Because they dont compete. And they live in the present. With acceptance.
Misalignment of expectation vs reality.
Such a great lesson on what “living in the moment” even really means.
A couple notes: The beginnings of these articles are always very exhilarating and refreshing, but as they go on I always lose that explorative feeling—there were a few moments that fell flat for the reader in this article especially, I think maybe from whatever generative ai tool was used (which I’m all for in helping assist writing, but you have to be careful in taming that “please-all” tone it gives).
I love reading. Keep it up