Greetings and salutations,
Please allow me to introduce myself; I am C.R. Sawyer, sultan of style.
The Declaration of Independence is often thought to guarantee happiness, what it does, rather is guarantee our right to pursue said happiness.
The purpose of life is a topic often debated. I state here that, simply put, the purpose of life is the pursuit of happiness. Now, before you, dear reader, snarl and delete me from your computer memory let me clarify. The pursuit of this elusive happiness will have a different character for each pursuer and lest you think all forms of charity would perish should all look toward their own happiness, I respectfully disagree. If acting in charity makes you feel good and happy then by all means, pursue. After saying this I return to my original purpose, introduction.
I have decided that my journey will consist of many parts self- education and improvement. No doubt when I mention self-improvement a round of groans emanate from my readers, never fear I do not refer or rather do not refer solely to that class of material sometimes labeled self-help. That is not to say that I dismiss the genre as a whole, however, many titles consist of regurgitated nonsense designed to prey upon humankind's desire for happiness. For example I recently read a few pages of a book claiming to show how one can rule the world from one's couch! The only thing I got out of my perusal was a good laugh and the question, why is the author not ruling the world? When I write of self-improvement I allude to a broader interpretation that encompasses my entire self, body and mind. In short, anything that will bring happiness even if it requires several hard steps that are not "happy" in and of themselves. Exercise for example, is usually not pleasant but if my goal is to have a healthy body then the pursuit requires some unpleasant steps and choices.
Self-education may seem self-explanatory. My definition is that I seek to learn things because I want to know them. Not necessarily for career improvement but simply to satisfy curiosity, learning as pursuit. For instance, I recently read a book about the geology of my home state, for fun. I have also formed a reading list for myself based on a list of required reading for a University which is divided by semester. When I finish I will have read as much as a graduate and while it is true I will not have a degree, I will have the knowledge, without having to keep to the impossible, for me, schedule.
Lastly, I introduce myself as sultan of style and pasha of pleasure. The preceding paragraphs have a tendency to sound like a lot of work. However, my entire pursuit is not filled with hard work. I am constantly tasting and trying, seeking out new experiences and finding things that I like. Things that bring happiness, which I think we will find is in the pursuit, after all.
Until next time,
C.R.
