Friday, February 26, 2010

The Average Man

So I know this guy and he is average. I mean he is the epitome of the word average. He isn't bad, he isn't good. He is forgettable, and regrettably, normal. He is about 25 or somewhere around there. This is what this guy does: He works for a temp agency at a poster factory or something along those lines. He works there for 8 hours a day making less than I do at my summer job. He comes home (to his parent's home) and he eats and plays World of Warcraft.

Now that's not all this guy does. Like I said; hes average not bad. He goes to church, he volunteers, he lives an unremarkable existence. Now I don't know why this bothers me so much but it does. He has no drive, no goals in life, and no problem with that. When I ask him about it he says he's comfortable where he is at. 'Yeah, I'd be comfortable if I still lived at home with my Mom cooking me meals,' is what immediately comes to mind. Seriously though? Where will he be in 5 or 10 years? Still working for a temp agency? Still living at home? Yeah, It might be comfortable but that's not a good thing.

People seem to think that all they desire in life is comfort and that it creates happiness but that's wrong. That's false; comfort will only take you so far. Look at many of the Hollywood celebrities and sports celebrities: They have all the means to make their life as comfortable as possible. Yet many of them crash and burn or fizzle out. You know why? Because people don't just want a sense of comfort, they want something more than that; they want purpose.

My friend may be comfortable but what is his purpose? Is he useful, helpful, loved, loving? Where is he going? Where has he been? I can answer those last two: not far. The only way a person can progress, learn, love, understand, communicate is to leave your comfort zone at some point.

So yeah friend, you are comfortable at home and you are making your small differences in society; your little purpose. But what purpose is out there waiting for you to take it? What chances are you missing out on by staying at home and doing what is comfortable. Leave the country, leave your province, leave your city and for God's sake leave your comfort zone.

- F.L.

1 comment:

  1. I react similarly to your words as to the words of Malvina Reynolds that I first read 10 years ago. This is a poem that Reynolds wrote in 1963, called 'Little Boxes':


    Little boxes on the hill side, little boxes made of ticky-tacky.
    Little boxes, little boxes, little boxes all the same.
    There’s a green one and a pink one and a blue one and a yellow one,
    And they’re all made out of ticky-tacky, and they all look just the same.

    And the people in the houses all go to the university
    Where they all get put in boxes, little boxes, all the same.
    And there’s doctors and there’s lawyers, and there’s business executives
    And they’re all made out of ticky-tacky and they all look just the same.

    And they all play on the golf course and drink their martini dry
    And they all have pretty children and the children go to school
    And the children go to summer camp and then to the university
    Where they all get put in boxes and they all come out the same.

    And the boys go into business and marry and raise a family
    And they all get put in boxes, little boxes all the same.
    There’s a green one and a pink one and a blue one and a yellow one
    And they’re all made out of ticky-tacky and they all look just the same.

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