By Gilax Ngoya
Seat-of-the-pants-sense would strongly assert: Man is born for meaning and purpose in life, not for pleasure as many might take it. When you look around, you will realize that everyone is trying to carve an imperishable niche in the busy and crowded market place.
Somehow, somewhat, we do things either to avoid pain, or to gain pleasure. So long as the gain is greater than the pain, we continue with the habit. But if the pain exceeds the gain, we drop it poste-haste. For example, when the doctor tells the smoker to stop that horrendous habit and the smoker replies, “I can’t! It is a habit and I enjoy it!” He goes on smoking like a chimney. Here, the pleasure is greater than the pain. Until one day he is faced with a major medical problem, and the doctor says, “If you want to live, you better stop smoking immediately or else, things shall soon go south.” He stops. Here, the pain is greater than the pleasure.
This principle can be applied in stopping other irresponsible behaviours. Like immorality, drunkenness, and more. Before you pick a habit, reflect whether it would attract pain or pleasure. Life has forms of pleasure that entice pain. Pain and Pleasure Principle works like Pain and Gain Principle. If the gain is greater than the pain, that becomes a motivational factor. If the pain is greater than the pain, then that is deterrent. Gains can be tangible, such as; monetary rewards and good gifts. They can be intangible, such as recognition, appreciation, sense of achievement, promotion, growth, responsibility, sense of self-worth, fulfilment, accomplishment and belief.
Dear reader, right at the onset the onset. I have to admit that cock-and-bull-stories are not as useless as we sometimes think. Informal story-telling-sessions and healthy chit-chats, are of germane interest to all and sundry. I once learned a lustrous lesson from a teacher we somehow hand-and-glove. He cited that gone are the days when a teacher was known by the name or subject s/he taught. To him, having a riveting rehash of the radiant distant past, teachers found meaning, fulfilment and contentment after posting good results. Teachers got bragging rights by establishing themselves as authorities in their areas of specialisation.
That, too, gave them purpose – reason of existence. This subject of purpose, gnawed the conscience of the preacher, teacher, philosopher; that penned the book of Ecclesiastes. The reflective writer of that poetic text is a man at the sunset of his sojourn on this hallowed hotel called earth. He takes a flashback to what puffed him up like billows of black smoke: the cravings and yearnings of youthful life like love of women, wine and wisdom. Then, at the end of the tether, he concludes: life is meaningless. It is like chasing after wind. It is vanity, and that is the reality. Therefore, the whole duty of man, woman included, is to fear God, and keep His pious precepts.
That is why those teachers who dispensed knowledge in the past tried to find pleasure conflated with meaning. Meaning in this case was to add value and lustre in the precious lives of learners. Teachers took home perks and privileges that were not commensurate to the work done, but they still radiated with incredulous joy only seen in a boy playing with a toy. Meaning, therefore, is possible in spite of spate of suffering, miseries and misfortunes. People have enough to live, said Victor Frank, but nothing to live for; they have the means but no meaning. Money and material gains are good and gorgeous, but if that is all one lives for then, that is a wrong tangent to take in this life of birth and death. There is something that is more important in life than hedonism and incessant search for instant gratification. Have you ever wondered how a man who has nothing or very little still affords a mile-wide smile?
Some ilk of teachers who served in the years of yore are best placed to give an explicit explanation towards this notion. Life was tough bearing in mind the amount they took home. It was meagre. Or if you like, paltry peanuts, but they still worked passionately like ants and artists. They approached the world of work with their hands, heads and hearts.
Teachers give life not just lessons, which means they have it, because you cannot give what you do not have. Meaning is very central to work and lives. The very motion of our lives is blessed bliss. Victor Frankl postulated that happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue. Find happiness by taking it seriously. It is common knowledge that happiness cannot be found hidden under some rock, but it is something we must all seek through umpteen factors: One, by engaging in satisfying work. Two, by having a rich social network which our schools offer. There are plethora of teachers and plenty of learners. Three, being married, and finally avoiding negativity. We have to remember that more happiness means more productivity.
When we find meaning, we unlock the door of happiness in life. We eventually use our signature strengths to achieve great gratification in the main areas of our lives. In the whole scheme of things, we press pause buttons, and see our places of work as safe havens and secure heavens.
The cleric Dr. Lauren Artress, posits that we are not human beings on a spiritual path, but spiritual beings on a human path. We should take spirituality seriously. This blends well with what Steven Quartz said, “Studies of our biological constitution make it increasingly clear that we are social creatures of meaning, who crave for a sense of coherence and purpose.”
Every human being should then in attempt to find meaning in life serve themselves a yummy meal of spirituality. How would someone tap gallons of inspiration without connecting with God, the source of life? We must not starve ourselves in the name of finding pleasure and trying to run away from pain while in the real sense we are going straight into the store house of pain.
One of my mentors once told me that the world is full of good things but they are not the be-all-end-all. Some of these things are good. However, they don’t take you long before you become tired of them. Aptly put. They are fleeting. Soon before noon, they will flee from thee like scudding clouds. They will fade like a festoon of flowers, and wither like green grass.
As I plan to drop the pen and close this case, these three are not sinful but happiness and meaning in life does not flow from them. One, getting more money is not a primary factor to happiness; money is a transient gift. Two, living in a pleasant climate and neighborhood. You need more than that because the neighbourhood might be cool, but lots of chaos and confusion may emanate from your place. Lastly, getting a lot of education, by and large, education is good. Everyone needs it because it is both a need and a prerogative, albeit, it is not the main source of meaning and happiness.
