VANITY
‘None are so empty as those that are full of themselves’
‘Narcissistic’. Most of us are familiar with what it means. One who is narcissistic is self-admiring.
This word has been derived from the story of Narcissus.
In Greek Mythology, Narcissus was an extremely handsome hunter who fell in love with his own reflection. As a result of this, he spent his entire life staring at his reflection in a pool of water and that was where he eventually died.
The ancient mythologies were cleverly crafted to leave a lasting lesson for future generations.
I came across an article recently which talked about how sugar speeds up the aging process in a person. The message: Avoid sugar because it makes you look old faster.
We all grow old. It’s the cycle of life. Some embrace it with open arms while others run from it, trying to escape the natural process.
A very common problem today is that people are giving up on food that they love for the sake of social images.
Yet what I don’t understand is why should we give up on things that we love in our life? Are we trying to look beautiful? If yes, for whom? Where will that get us?
Wanting to look young and stay slim is in no way wrong. In fact, it’s a personal choice and opinion.
And yet.
Does looking good and satisfying our vanity come in the way of us enjoying life? Are we not free to do as we like, without having to worry about the effect our actions will have on our appearance?
Are human beings merely slaves to their own vanity?
Let’s stop worrying about wrinkles and about our weight. Let’s put an end to body shaming and be proud of ourselves the way we are. Physical exercise is extremely important for our health and well being.
Exercise so that you remain healthy and fit not for the mere sake of a slim body or a beautiful look.
We can achieve nothing in life if we go after vanity. Instead, let’s focus on more important things in life that will lead us to success. And let’s not forget to enjoy life in the process, with all it’s flavors and wonders.
We should all remember, we’re mortal. All of us have a limited time in this world. We should make the most of it. We should not deprive ourselves of all the wonders that life has in store for us. We need to change our approach.
On a lighter note, I would like to leave you with something thought provoking: when we leave this world our weight is carried on other’s shoulders, so its technically not our problem.
