One of the songs in this list is "Jack and Diane" by John Mellencamp. This is the story of a young couple from the Midwest. A high school football hero and her girlfriend. They live in a small town that they never leave, he never accomplishes his dream of playing ball and their life becomes boring quickly. Diane probably gets pregnant early and then "Life goes on long after the thrill of living is gone".
The message seems to be that after our adolescent years, life is a dreadful process.
I do love this song, even though it is a little depressing. In my opinion it captures an aspect of the American belief that vibrant life belongs exclusively to the very young.
The video link is below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=h04CH9YZcpI
In our early years, when we don't even try, nature takes care of bringing on a lot of change into our life. The growing up process, puberty with the awakening of hormones and the relationship dramas. The sheer number of new things we are capable of doing from year to year keeps our lives challenging and fresh. A lot of things to look forward to, undiscovered territory.
The "thrill machine" works on autopilot all the way into our mid twenties I would say. After that, the system goes from autopilot to manual. Now you have to actually decide for yourself in which growth direction to go. You also have to make a fundamental choice in attitude in your life, whether you are more interested in continuing growing or in avoiding pain. Pain avoidance is the recipe for a dull, repetitive uninteresting life. The kind of life that makes death look like a liberating experience. I can't think of any thrilling activity that does not involve the possibility of some pain.
The Asian cultures get this right. Asians get involved in some type of art, calligraphy, archery, martial arts, Yoga, Tai Chi, etc. They call it a Do. A path, a personal development endeavor that takes a lifetime to perfect. Progressing along this path brings meaning and satisfaction to their practitioners. Each Do is a powerful way to engage and understand the world. The path requires courage and persistence. In return it gives you a strong connection with who you are and what you stand for.
Middle aged people that are vibrant and happy have found their Do. It doesn't have to be an Asian Do. It could be cooking or learning any new skill, a language, you name it. It is not so much the area of development you choose that matters, but the strong commitment not to be a victim of circumstance, not to be a person that duels in what went wrong in the past, but a vibrant person that continues to grow and explore.
It is not as easy as just signing up for a Karate class. It requires a mental attitude that is thankful for each new day because it is an opportunity and a gift. It is a mindset that does not wonder how many days are left in our lives because we here right now. A mindset that thoroughly enjoys the gift of the people you share your life with, as imperfect and limited as we all are.
People that have found their Do are happy that "life goes on 'cause the thrill is never gone".
Get it right John....
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