“The ‘Fine Prints” of life....

“The Fine Prints” of life -

Or what my Father tried to teach me.

Fine prints seldom draw anyone’s attention, only when lawyers or subpoena servers come knocking do they become apparent.

As the ‘sardine cans’ we call cities get increasingly compacted, over-crowded; and the scramble to bite the smaller and ever shrinking pudding of life’s sustenance gets more intense & ferocious, who has time to notice anything non-essential to survival? 

Who is ever concerned with that which does not bring the daily bacon, the daily bread, (or broad)? 

Besides Man’s sensual desires and (?boring) basic needs, there is the overwhelming need for self-affirmation -the desire to be acknowledged. Much like the mongrel leaving its (urinary) mark on the fire hydrant, the desire to be recognized and acknowledged is inherent in all. Thus flashy, fashion accessories like Gucci glasses, designer pumps, Jimmy Choo shoes, expensive wraps by (Arrrhhh) Toi, flashy cars, and the adopting of a lifestyle reflective of opulence; are sought with feverish intensity, as if these in themselves were life sustaining.  

To be first in the scramble to “LIVE”, to win the Race. (there is a winner?)

In attempting to shine in life, everyone end up looking like everyone else, and cities become filled with the nameless, faceless (?exploitable) dull masses of non-seeing, non-heeding people who refuse to pay heed to, not just those around but to themselves.

The Hong Kong Cantonese has a saying ‘Moh Gnan Tai” metaphorically i.e. ‘no one notices, cares or pays any attention”.

Eating, drinking, breathing and other more gratifying etceteras, keep alive and viable an organic being.

“Alive” though is not synonymous with “happy”.  

‘Happy’ is not about breathing and eating and breathing, (and the other more interesting sensually satisfying gratifications in the “etceteras”) alone.

And definitely pursuing “happiness and success” involves greater effort, in itself causes more stress thus making it harder to be happy, subsequently reduces achievement and success.

Simply, the satisfaction level of success and happiness one attains is inversely proportional to the intensity one puts in to achieve them. 

There is an aspect to ‘alive” that is generally unessential to a life of relative happiness and success. 

A ‘spot’ that’s unseen, difficult to comprehend or expressed.  

The ‘Inner Zone’ most do not notice in their busy, hurry-burry, chasing-elusive-dreams-of-success, lifestyle.

The focus on life when limited by the highly visible, and deemed crucial elements that everyone longs and desires after, results in the faceless, nameless, and ever seeking, insatiable throng who messes up the cities and generally just ‘do the needful’ – living life, creating life, debasing life and ultimately leaving life. 

The tragedy is when the mere acquisition in great abundance, of what is being sought after by everyone else, becomes considered success.

My Father tried teach me to be aware and immerse in that part of myself which I have yet to notice or pay heed to – the part which though unessential to living is vital for attaining all that life is about -

That part in “The ‘Fine Prints” of life.