Ultimate Goal

In the past I have said that as humans our ultimate goal is to achieve complete happiness. This is impossible due to the fact that we create our own problems with factors such as love, anger, resentment, ambition, etc. We will always want what we don't have, and once we have it, we will think there is much more to have therefore denying us happiness. Why is it that we always think there is something else to achieve? Something else to look forward to? Why not just accept that what we have is simply what we have? In other words, we do not enjoy the present. We are always thinking of the past and how our present may affect our future. But we never truly concentrate on our present. 

In section 1 and 5 of the 'Handbook of Epictetus', it is mentioned that somethings are not up to us. That the reasons why we live in in conformity is not our problems but our perceptions of them or judgments. These judgments may be linked to the factors I mentioned earlier, reinforcing the idea that we are the ones to blame, in the end WE create our own problems. 

I also found it quite interesting section 3, which talks about love and how we are misguided by the idea of it. I have seen many cases, not only in my personal life, but also in movies and books where society implies the idea that death and love should create grief and pain. But this perspective is changed with the idea that instead of falling in love with something or someone we should just be fond of it and respect it for the time being. 

"If you kiss your child or wife, say that you are kissing a human being; for when it dies you will not be upset."

Although this may sound a bit to harsh since it suggests that humans be treated as things or its, I am in complete agrees with this. If we applied this to our daily life we could avoid much pain. You don't necessarily have to give everything up for love, you should simply respect those things that you love while you have them.