Monday again, and I am so relieved. I love weekends too, but I get sidetracked and can't wait to be more focused at the start of the week. I put up a great front, but I am just one of those people who finds peace with finding purpose, meaning, and seeking rather than thinking i must have a certain thing to have happiness - its the journey, after all. I have three journeys for you to consider this week: one of happiness, one of history, and one of mystery.
1. I've had several research themes and interests lately. One of them is discovering how I feel about meaning, purpose, and happiness, but in a new way than I've examined it before. Until I recently read an article, I never considered my need for purpose as a personality trait. Yeah, I can be slow sometimes. I have three articles varying in length and style reading meaning and purpose as a focus. One of them mentions
In 1991, the Library of Congress and Book-of-the-Month Club listed Man's Search for Meaning as one of the 10 most influential books in the United States. It has sold millions of copies worldwide. Now, over twenty years later, the book's ethos -- its emphasis on meaning, the value of suffering, and responsibility to something greater than the self -- seems to be at odds with our culture, which is more interested in the pursuit of individual happiness than in the search for meaning. "To the European," Frankl wrote, "it is a characteristic of the American culture that, again and again, one is commanded and ordered to 'be happy.' But happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue. One must have a reason to 'be happy.'" ---http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/01/theres-more-to-life-than-being-happy/266805/
I wanted to include that quote because I put the book on my To Read list and because I think the penultimate sentence says it all. I worry so much about people trying so hard to be happy instead of just letting themselves be who they are and seeing how it feels.
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/01/theres-more-to-life-than-being-happy/266805/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-time-cure/201301/happiness-vs-living-life-meaning
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-health-life-purpose-happiness-story.html
and you can find Frankl's book here: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_13?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=man%27s+search+for+meaning&sprefix=man%27s+search+%2Caps%2C162
2. Speaking of journeys, beginnings, and endings. There is a bittersweetness to the death of Former First Lady Nancy Reagan, who will be buried at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library this week. On one hand, any death saddens; on the other, there is a feeling of a fleeting inner smile when one imagines she will finally be with her husband again in some way. I try to keep this blog away from politics as much as possible, but it seems the end of an era for me. I never really had grandparents nor a father, and as a child, Ronald Reagan was one of the people I fantasized was mine. Whether you are a fan of his presidency or not, I think watching and reading about the Reagans this week will provide myriad contexts to explore. Whatever interest you have in people, presidents, celebrities or other news, there is a probably a Reagan story with which you can empathize: Ronald and Nancy's love story of the ages, family drama, Hollywood craziness, political intrigue, quotes from bawdy to brilliant and more. The tapestry of the Reagan history offers much if you can set aside judgement and political preferences. Humans are only people, you know. Besides, I think the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is a wonderful, beautiful place.
image © getty images
3. Our last journey themed is a lot more fun. I am so thoroughly enjoying The Mysterious Package Company, I am writing about it months earlier than planned. I encountered this company through a Facebook ad "“We tell you stories you can touch: unannounced deliveries of a strange and otherworldly nature.”, and it seemed interesting. It far exceeds my expectations in ways too numerous to explain here and, in the theme of it all, too secret to share in such a public manner. The style, attention to detail, story telling, and more appeal to my love of literature and history as well as my long addiction to the values and beauty inherent in almost anything historic or Steampunk. Regardless of what kind of journey you take with The Mysterious Package Company, the Curator will make sure you are accommodated. First, you have to become a member - don't worry it's free but it is a secret society (I may have to redact some of this). Then begin exploring to see where you may or may not want to begin an adventure or even send someone else on one. Prices vary for different things, but I do have one in mine for my brother. I am super excited to try it.You never know what you're going to get and within it what conundrums you will encounter and to what end. There's a quarterly newspaper with multitudes of mini mysteries layering clues upon clues to get you through the year. Then there are experiences. Experiences mean multiple mailings. What will it be this time? A letter? Newspaper clippings from long ago? A package of procurements? A box? Why is this box nailed shut? What's inside?
Here is a tiny sample: Actually I am happy if you figured this out and are able to read it, but I am to going to give away any secrets. I will say. even though I knew I was eventually getting something, the first letter arriving in the mail confused me at first. I fell for it completely. I can understand people thinking certain aspects are too pricey, but if you actually bothered to figure out his redacted section, I am guessing you will find it worth every penny.
Yes, you should apply for membership straightaway https://www.mysteriouspackage.com
Another review for you: http://thenerderypublic.com/shameless-plug-sunday-mysterious-package-company/
*** So the redacted part just won't work in this format, sadly - sorry it was not much fun, but maybe one of these Mondays, I will throw in a conundrum for you :)
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