Saying for the day…

“It’s a whole lot easier to get through life if you don’t expect much from it in the first place.”

It’s an original Schützism, so I give you permission to use it. A little nihilistic, perhaps? Or cynical? I often have regard for the saying of Thoreau, that “Most men live lives of quiet despation”.

I have experienced this desparation today just trying to get my latest toy (my work laptop) connected to mobile broadband. After actually buying a 3 Network plan, at a fraction of the price of Telstra, I now returned from my holiday (expecting to be all wireless by the end of the day) to find that 3 Network canceled my order because it doesn’t cover my home area. Deep Sigh.

So, I’ve just trudged in the summer heat down to the Telstra shop, who will now end up with my (or rather, the Archdiocese’s) megabucks. And I am trying to get my other new toy (an iPAQ personal organiser) to talk to my Lotus Notes email at work. We’re slowly solving that one. Even Deeper Sigh.

Of course, as Papa Benny never tires of pointing out, both in his latest encyclical “Spe Salvi” and in his book “Jesus of Nazareth”, man’s deepest longing is for life, real life, and life in abundance. He says, of this “eternal life”:

We cannot stop reaching out for it, and yet we know that all we can experience or accomplish is not what we yearn for. This unknown “thing” is the true “hope” which drives us, and at the same time the fact that it is unknown is the cause of all forms of despair and also of all efforts, whether positive or destructive, directed towards worldly authenticity and human authenticity.

“All forms of desparation and also of all efforts”. Yes, I can identify with that.

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4 Responses to Saying for the day…

  1. Joshua says:

    You’re familiar with the Belgian Beer Cafe somewhat south of the CBD? Your phrase reminded me of one of their inscriptions on the wall, which translates as “Beer is not the most important thing in life but it makes it bearable”.

  2. Joshua says:

    You’re familiar with the Belgian Beer Cafe somewhat south of the CBD? Your phrase reminded me of one of their inscriptions on the wall, which translates as “Beer is not the most important thing in life but it makes it bearable”.

  3. Schütz says:

    No, I have not ever heard of this joint before. Sounds worth a check out!

  4. Joshua says:

    It sure is, tho’ the beers and food are not cheap:

    Belgian Beer Café Bluestone
    557 St Kilda Road
    Melbourne

    and their new outlet (which I’ve not visited):

    Belgian Beer Café Eureka
    5 Riverside Quay
    Southbank

    From your offices you could easily catch the tram down and back.

    Warning: prospective aspirants for candidacy to admission to the preparatory stage of consideration of eventual enrolment in discernment of possible suitability of signing up for finding more out about the chances of becoming a Melburnian contemplating his future as a student for the diaconate – should not skip work to go to drink beer at long lunches! ;-)

    But if, say, one needs to use one’s expense account in order to fete visiting ecumenists, fellow bloggers, or foreign prelates…

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