Desire...

Lord, how can I ever find rest anywhere else when I am made to find rest in thee?
– Saint Augustine

The vast majority of human beings spend their lives in the pursuit of cherished goals which, when they are achieved, often leave them even more restless and unfulfilled. There is nothing wrong with desire. Like electricity, which can light a home or electrocute the tenant, desire is neither good nor bad. It is the most powerful force we have to drive us to action. Tragedy comes when desire is not subject either to the intellect or to the conscious will. Then we have a powerful vehicle speeding without anybody in the driver’s seat.

Imagine all the cars in your hometown coming out of their garages and going about anywhere they like without drivers. How many accidents there would be, how much damage to life and property! When I go after what I desire, and you do the same, sometimes we collide.

We need to learn to distinguish between purely personal goals and those that include the happiness of other people. These latter desires provide a more lasting fuel for our actions, and lead to the kind of fulfillment that doesn’t fade.



Eknath Easwaran's Words to Live By.