Sometimes Pleasure is Pain

"You can please some people all the time, and you can please all the people some of the time. But you can't please all people all the time"
-Bob Marley

Who's not a fan of Bob Marley? I'd like to focus on the last statement in this quote.
How many of us want to be perfect and do everything right? As humans we need to accept that we can't do everything perfectly. This also includes giving all all notions that we can please everyone all the time. No matter what, there will always be someone who is not quite as satisfied as everyone else. We are all different; we have different wants, desires, passions, fears, preferences etc. This is not inherently bad. Certainly it is unfortunate that so many of us are left dissatisfied after a decision as simple as what movie to watch. But that is a fact of life that all people must accept at one point or another; 'you can't always get what you want.'

But the theory can also be expanded to greater decisions in life such as who to marry. You may be happy, your fiancee may be happy, your mother, father, sister, brother's dog might be happy. But there will always be that one person who is upset; maybe it's your grandfather, uncle, great aunt, or childhood friend, who wished you had picked your previous boyfriend/girlfriend. We must accept the fact that all our decisions have consequences, and all people are affected by them, directly or indirectly. We must come to the realization that whether negatively or positively our decisions have weight. We must decide whether the decision we make is worth the affect it will have on others; because you can't please everybody.

What's Really Important?

"What you do with your life is not nearly as important as who you do it with."
—John Green

Everyone wants to be successful. Everyone wants to do something important with their life. Accomplishments are everything to the world; getting a job, getting into school, how other's form their opinions of you. Every little act matters. People sometimes say, find something you love to do and do it. When you're looking for a job, find a job that you love. But what if it's not about what you do so much as who you do it with. This can be witnessed in all aspects of life, the good, bad, and the ugly. For example, now I haven't traveled a lot, so I can't know for sure; but it appears that backpacking through Europe would not nearly be as fun as if you had someone to complain about the blisters with. On the flip side, those who have few material possessions, their families seem to be the richest in happiness because they went through it with their family.

This revels a certain pattern about ourselves as humans. For some reason, when we go through something, it brings us closer together. This also can go both ways, when people work hard at something, and then accomplish it, they grow closer together. There is someone solitary and binding about enduring or rejoicing in something with someone, rather than alone in a house by yourself. So why is it that doing things together is more important than what you do? That being with your husband or wife is special, even if you are doing just homework? It all comes down to priorities and what you want. As humans we crave company; there are few things treasured more in life than a kiss from a spouse, a laugh with a friend, or a hug from a child. We want someone to be there standing alone beside us, whether it be a spouse, friend, or yes even a cat. And whatever happens, at least you'll have each other. And that's why doing things with people is more important than what you do. Because surely, the things you'll be thinking of most when you're on your deathbed is who (if anyone) is sitting next to it, rather than how many awards are hanging on the wall.