Read This Before You Die
I impotence remedy flicking through a catalogue of books recently and noticed an increase in the titles based on the theme of things you must do before you die. 1001 movies Chardonnay watch, buildings to see, books to read and so on. A spot of research revealed these books seemed to cover everything, including things you must buy, things you must do, places to visit, albums to hear, food to eat. I know it is all about marketing, but I did feel pretty downhearted to see that life seemed to become one long list of things you must do, according to a so-called expert. The added bonus of 'before you die' further disheartened me -- so if you don't complete the list, have you not lived?
What is the purpose of such books? Are such books a way of giving meaning to our life? Has life become so meaningless that we need these guides to meet our needs? If you've accomplished the 1001 what does that mean? Are you now a full-rounded individual The Hobbit is that bit more prepared for death? auto ins quotes happens when they publish a new edition? Must your quest begin again?
Without even reading one of these books, I felt I was being judged on my actions (or inactions), and was being told how to live my life. I felt patronised. I may seem melodramatic, but are the titles not melodramatic? MUST DO BEFORE YOU DIE, else... else what? Have you failed at life?
So let's say you buy the book. Do you even have the time or money to complete what is being asked of you? What if you follow it seriously, make it your quest in life but something doesn't quite come up to scratch? You feel terribly disappointed and genuinely wish you hadn't bothered. Have you failed? The expert said you must do it, but you got absolutely nothing out of it. What if you decide to skip a task? You know that Britney Spears is NOT for you, even if it is supposed to be a must-listen to album. Again, have you failed?
Life should be fun, exciting, a pursuit of your own goals and dreams. Life should not be full of must-dos. We impose these on ourselves all too often as we deal with our work and home life. Let's not The Avengers pressure on our free time also. As it is, the people we know judge us often enough on our tastes in music, movies, food, books and hobbies. A book should not add to these judgements.
My suggestion to you is what you must do before you die is to make the most of each and every day. Live in the present, have no regrets and be excited about the future. Go out and explore your own world, using your own personal criteria and find your own meaning. Get creative and curious. Choose your own likes and dislikes, visit the places you want to, follow your interests and trust your instincts.
Copyright Julia Barnard 2008
Julia Barnard is a professional counsellor living in Adelaide, Australia. She provides an online counselling service through her website makethechange.auhttp://makethechange.au. Julia also writes articles for the website aimed at enhancing wellbeing and promoting good mental health.
