On Being Misled

This world is full of illusion. Status, success, beauty and wealth all provide only limited pleasure. When I make them an ultimate goal, I set myself up for a bitter disappointment. These things carry great glitter and allure. For centuries people have tossed aside real love and true relationship to respond to the distant song of the siren. The beautiful song of the siren in the Odyssey caused the sailors to lose their way, to steer into the rocks and eventually to shipwreck. Our modern world has its own version of this song. How many people have ruined perfectly good lives in pursuit of a dream of happiness, only to find that they walked right by happiness and themselves on their way toward an illusion? True happiness comes from a life well lived and love well shared – it issues from the heart.

I will not be fooled by fanciful images.

Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.

Aesop