Curious About the Benjamins... Pursuit of Happiness (Part II)

In Part I of Curious About the Benjamins... , I noted that "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" had a long lasting impression in my heart. I also shared the scene in which Benjamin asks Daisy to stand still in front of a mirror because he wants to cherish the moment as it is how he wants the couple to be remembered as. So in this post, I ask:-

Have you arrived at this stage in your life? And, Would you want to?

In my case, it has not happened. That's because I'm always changing, evolving... or better yet, transforming (Romans 12:2) into the person that I am meant to be. I've personally dreamed of being many different things... yet, after achieving my goals, I've always wanted more. Perhaps freezing time would help cherish the achievements for longer periods of time.

Outside of my family life (education, career, interests, sports, etc.) are areas that I have found myself pursuing something that seemed very elusive... yet, in the instances that I thought I attained what I sought after, I would arrive at following question, "is this it?". In all honesty, I've said that about my life as a Christian as well. There is something about us that makes us seek... yet, when we arrive, we are left where we started, empty and in search of fulfillment (perhaps in search of giving meaning to our lives).

Some are constantly changing careers, others move from place to place in an effort to find happiness... while there are others that find themselves searching for romance ("happiness") from person to person. I've been there many times... seeking self-satisfaction to no avail. Always found myself in turmoil. The book of Ecclesiastes notes that everything that is accomplished under the sun is meaningless; it continues by saying that all of our efforts in these regard are nothing but "a chasing after the wind".

Take some time to read the following scripture Ecclesiastes 1:12-2:24.

Mankind is always unfulfilled and always unsatisfied... So again I ask:-

Has that moment come to you? Have you reached the mid-way point of your life where your wants, desires and dreams all line up? Has the moment to stop and admire the synchronicity that best reflects the person that you were yesterday, today and "forever"? Or, do you continue "chasing after the wind"?

Psalms 20:4 - May He [the LORD] grant you your heart's desire And fulfill all your counsel!
Psalms 20:5 - We will sing for joy over your victory, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners. May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.

Curious about the Benjamins... Tomorrow

I'm not the most sensitive person in the world... actually, I am not sensitive at all. I'm not easily impressed or moved. My wife sometimes says that I come across as a hardhearted person, which is far from the truth.

Yet, to my surprise, there have been instances when I have been moved... yet others, that have the tendency of being on the sensitive side, have not. Recently, I told a couple of friends about the long lasting impression a movie left in my heart. The movie's title is, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".

This post will be Part I of a series (two or three posts - might not come in sequence). Hope you are able to reflect on them!

This movie has very good thought provoking scenes (some scenes just have lines that are very profound). One scene that comes to mind is when they both reach the age of 40 (give or take)... Benjamin asks Daisy to stand still in front of a mirror because he wants to cherish the moment as it is how he wants the couple to be remembered as.

As a father, I've been tempted to say, "Oh, if I can relive my daughter's first steps again!"... "If my daughter would stay in this stage forever". But then I start to think that if I had it my way, I would then miss out on many other parental experiences; for example:

• First day of Kindergarten
• Lost tooth
• First grade (or second, third, etc.) recital
• High-school graduation

So I conclude, perhaps is best to cherish each day with my daughter as if it was the day I want her and I to remember most. Though I must admit, I'm not always very successful at maintaining this mind-set.

Scripture states the following in the Book of James:

James 4:13 - Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit."
James 4:14 - Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are {just} a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
James 4:15 - Instead, {you ought} to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."