Ecclesiastes 1
Nothing Makes Sense
1When the son of David was king in Jerusalem, he was known to be very wise, [a] and he said: 2Nothing makes sense!
Everything is nonsense.
2-11 Smoke, nothing but smoke. [That's what the Quester says.] There's nothing to anything—it's all smoke.
What's there to show for a lifetime of work, a lifetime of working your fingers to the bone?
One generation goes its way, the next one arrives,but nothing changes—it's business as usual for old planet earth. The sun comes up and the sun goes down, then does it again, and again—the same old round.
The wind blows south, the wind blows north. Around and around and around it blows, blowing this way, then that—the whirling, erratic wind. All the rivers flow into the sea, but the sea never fills up. The rivers keep flowing to the same old place, and then start all over and do it again. Everything's boring, utterly boring— no one can find any meaning in it. Boring to the eye, boring to the ear. What was will be again, what happened will happen again. There's nothing new on this earth. Year after year it's the same old thing.
The wind blows south, the wind blows north. Around and around and around it blows, blowing this way, then that—the whirling, erratic wind. All the rivers flow into the sea, but the sea never fills up. The rivers keep flowing to the same old place, and then start all over and do it again. Everything's boring, utterly boring— no one can find any meaning in it. Boring to the eye, boring to the ear. What was will be again, what happened will happen again. There's nothing new on this earth. Year after year it's the same old thing.
Does someone call out, "Hey, this is new"? Don't get excited—it's the same old story. Nobody remembers what happened yesterday. And the things that will happen tomorrow? Nobody'll remember them either.
Don't count on being remembered.
Knowing that the world and people never changes is a hard thing to grasp. Understanding that people no matter who they are, are people. Each one seeks understanding, attention, affection and acceptance. If you wanted to be friends with someone and you knew you couldn't fail would you pick up the phone, send them an email, or stop them on the street? Would you share what you have in common? Listen to them? Be compassionate and caring for them? Help them write their life story? You can be friends with anyone you share something in common with, from the homeless to the rich and famous and everyone in between. You have to want what they want and share in what they want to share. You have to be persistent and consistent. Sometimes you will find out they are not the friend you wanted and sometimes you must expect to be forgotten over time.
That is the smoke of life. You rise from the fire, strong and full of hope, you spread over a larger and larger area touching many and thinning out as you go, until you simply disappear. You will just become so much smoke on the water as they say.
If you wanted something you don't have, would you work to find a solution to get it if you knew success was only a few steps away? Who would you ask for it? What reason would you have that you deserve such a thing? Would you be persistent to get it or would you give up if the road gets too hard? Would you change with the wind or get bored? Objects like people have to be wanted, understood and accepted. Each needs attention. If you want something bad enough it will never just happen or fall in your lap. You have to plan for it. You have to ask yourself and others the right questions. You need to be persistent and consistent.
Don't count on being remembered.
Knowing that the world and people never changes is a hard thing to grasp. Understanding that people no matter who they are, are people. Each one seeks understanding, attention, affection and acceptance. If you wanted to be friends with someone and you knew you couldn't fail would you pick up the phone, send them an email, or stop them on the street? Would you share what you have in common? Listen to them? Be compassionate and caring for them? Help them write their life story? You can be friends with anyone you share something in common with, from the homeless to the rich and famous and everyone in between. You have to want what they want and share in what they want to share. You have to be persistent and consistent. Sometimes you will find out they are not the friend you wanted and sometimes you must expect to be forgotten over time.
That is the smoke of life. You rise from the fire, strong and full of hope, you spread over a larger and larger area touching many and thinning out as you go, until you simply disappear. You will just become so much smoke on the water as they say.
If you wanted something you don't have, would you work to find a solution to get it if you knew success was only a few steps away? Who would you ask for it? What reason would you have that you deserve such a thing? Would you be persistent to get it or would you give up if the road gets too hard? Would you change with the wind or get bored? Objects like people have to be wanted, understood and accepted. Each needs attention. If you want something bad enough it will never just happen or fall in your lap. You have to plan for it. You have to ask yourself and others the right questions. You need to be persistent and consistent.
Everything in life takes effort. Friendship, companionship, and anything else you desire can be yours but you have to make time for it. You have to create a plan for success and stick to it no matter what. Sometimes your plan will change or have to be modified but it will be a plan with an end in mind.
Creating a successful life first starts with the understanding the words of King David. You are but a part of a generation that has mostly forgotten what the generation before has done. There is really nothing new, only different than it was before. Time will pass and the sun will rise and fall, the winds will blow and rivers and seas will ebb and flow. The next generation will have forgotten all this again when your time is passed. So what is really important is the here and now.
Write down what your life's expectations are. Make a plan to get the things in life you desire. Choose wisely because your time is limited. Don't count on being remembered. Count on living each day until it is done.
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