why work?

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life"- Confucious 

   What I have learned growing up and going through school is that everything we do in life will affect our future in some way, whether it be significant or miniscule. I hear so many people complain about education and work and I find it sad because these things are almost inevitable here in America. They are opportunities to achieve the goals of our dreams. The ultimate purpose of school is to acquire the necessary knowledge and skill to be able to pursue the career choice that fulfills us the most. If someone has a passion for music, they must take advantage of their adolescent phase to learn and practice as much as they can, for when they grow up, a profession in music could be a great possibility, but one only receives as much as they put in. So hard work is required for success, but is it really work if it is doing something that makes you happy?
  Life can be hard, I'm sure we have all experienced this at some point. Stress is a major problem in life, so where does stress come from? Well it can come from almost anywhere, such as family issues, relationship problems, health, peers, but most of all it comes from the work place, which, in most cases, is where most of one's time is spent. Work can be extremely stressful if it is something we dread facing every day. Getting out of bed, dealing with traffic, worrying about punctuality, all just to spend the day doing work. But if you are lucky enough to do what you love for a living, then it isn't really considered work. Happiness is the most important aspect in life. Many things contribute to happiness, so it's a life journey just trying to get there.
   This is my favorite quote because it reminds me what my goals are. When I am stressed and overwhelmed this quote reminds me why I work so hard and I can see myself in the future, living my dream, and it all becomes worth it again.

"Know that the body is a fragile jar, and make a castle of your mind" -Buddha

   Some people may think that their most important features are the ones seen by their peers. Specifically in today's society filled with visually aesthetic appeal and a truthfully distorted ideal of the human body, it goes to show what is really valued most. But given little consideration and less than sufficient admiration is the human mind. If we can afford to spend so much time and effort on enhancing our image, why shouldn't we treat our minds the same way. In this quote, Buddha refers to the body as merely a fragile jar. The idea that our body is nothing more than a vehicle for the human mind. It can be broken, manipulated and modified but is still very fragile. To put so much effort in such a delicate yet empty jar is simply illogical. The mind, however, is what we should really be worshipping and fortifying. To make a castle of the mind is important because we would be nothing without it. It is the foundation for anything we create, and the anchor to our entire being.Without the mind we are not unique, nor are we capable of any intellectual significance. Without it, we are simply a jar.
   Sure, you can sculpt the body to be socially desirable, modify it to stand out with piercings, prosthetics, makeup, or decorate it with the most elaborate tattoo art, but it will serve no good in the end. For all jars return to mother earth sooner or later. You can only do so much with the body before there is nothing left to add. But with the mind, there is no end in sight. An abyss of opportunity and possibility. The mind is what creates possibility, it is what maintains stability, it is what depicts between reality and insanity. If you accept that the body is nothing more than a fragile jar, you can begin to make a castle of your mind. Filling yourself with the joy of knowledge, exploring the depths of your imagination and fantasy, and most of all, keeping a balance of peace within yourself that can only be found within the immense castle that is your mind, carried by nothing more than a decorative, fragile jar.

The Way

‎"The awakened, he wants nothing from this world and nothing from the next, he is free. The way is not in the sky, the way is in your heart"- Buddha

For the past couple of years in my life I have been absolutely intrigued with the morals of Buddhism. Studying the Dhammapada and meditating have been a part of my routine and I can gladly say it has changed my perspective. The "Awakened" represents the person who has gone through life humbly and achieves enlightenment. Theoretically we all strive to be among the awakened, and as Buddha says in this particular quote, he desires nothing, therefore there is nothing binding him to the stresses and obligations of the material world. The way I perceive the latter portion of the quote:" ...the way is not in the sky, the way is in your heart", is that we should not look to gods or heavens (being the sky) for happiness or peace, but to find it within our own selves, because we are the only ones that can provide our own peace. I have learned a great deal about what I truly seek out of life after studying Buddhist ways, and that is the peace of mind and utter happiness that comes from loving one's self and the simple surroundings of the life around us. This quote expresses the importance of priorities in life as well as the ties of desire. It implies that desire is the source of struggle in life and that you should be your only priority.
When people listen to my perspective on morals, most of the time they are automatically shutting me out. Quick to tell me what they think but never ready to take in any new ideas. I have no place in telling anyone what they should think, or even suggesting that they open up their own mind, but what I can say is that you don't have to follow anyone, exalt any deity, or give in to any belief to be at peace with yourself spiritually or mentally. I believe that being "free" is being exempt of any unnecessary struggle, any obligating ties, and free of all unsettling unhappiness. Freedom is free, and peace is accessible, you simply have to find the way.