Sayonara 2023

You almost wrecked me

I am looking forward to 2024, because 2023 was a doozy.

Over this next week, I am going to take a break. A REAL break. From my normal routine. From my normal life. I am going to reflect on 2023 and wave it happily goodbye. I am going to eat delicious food and watch juicy TV. And enjoy the ultimate luxury of TIME.

As we wrap up this year, I am contemplating a question that a friend asked: why do we always equate pain with strength?

Can there be gain without the pain? Why do we always assume that the ability to tolerate pain is strength? Is this one of those age old truths for everyone… or is it just an age old truth for…men? What do we think?

A lot of learning is painful. But must be always endure pain and suffering in order to become stronger? I am not sure. I am going to think about it. And what of Jeremy Bentham’s views of maximizing pleasure as the ultimate good? Is there no room for that?

Perhaps, as with all things, we must find the allusive “balance”. The ying to our yang. The light to our dark. We must constantly navigate the line between too much pain and too much pleasure. It is a daily compromise. A practice. A negotiation. Often with oneself.

No wonder we’re all so tired.

But onwards we go. To 2024.

I wish you all peace - and balance.