Duty To Oneself?
From Joseph Brodsky, Nobel Prize Winner for Literature:
"One's task consists first of all, in mastering a life that is one's own, not imposed or prescribed from without, no matter how noble its appearance may be.
For each one of us is issued but one life, and we - know fully well how it all ends.
It would be regrettable to squander this one chance on someone else's appearance, someone else's experience."
I hear you, Brodsky. But it's never an easy path you prescribe.
Not in a society that keeps telling you to conform and to be just like everyone else.
And where you may be accused of being selfish, if you're trying to master a life of your own, over what the community deems as acceptable.
"One's task consists first of all, in mastering a life that is one's own, not imposed or prescribed from without, no matter how noble its appearance may be.
For each one of us is issued but one life, and we - know fully well how it all ends.
It would be regrettable to squander this one chance on someone else's appearance, someone else's experience."
I hear you, Brodsky. But it's never an easy path you prescribe.
Not in a society that keeps telling you to conform and to be just like everyone else.
And where you may be accused of being selfish, if you're trying to master a life of your own, over what the community deems as acceptable.
posted by Stingrayz | 11:01 PM
3 Comments:
And you'll be perceived as weird. In the end, no one really pays attention to your point, because.. you are weird.
It's tiring not to conform to what others say. Because it's a battle between you and them. As long as the 'nawaitu' is good, Insyallah, others will get you one day.
_capri_:
Yes, it can be tiring. But it's a choice we made, to be who we are. Even if we are "weird". :)
There's always a price to be being different, dear.
I'm not sure others will ever get you. They might never.
But I hope that my loved ones and most cherished friends will understand why.
That would be enough of a blessing for me.
Stingray,
Indeed...
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