The part of life we truly live is small

We often complain that life is too short. Perhaps the real problem isn't how long life is, but how we use the time we have. Nature actually gives us plenty of time, if we learn how to live wisely. Instead, we tend to let it slip through our fingers.

Think about how easily we get caught up. Some people are driven by a need for more – more money, more things – and it never feels like enough. Others pour all their energy into tasks that, in the end, don't really matter. Some try to escape through drinking, while others just let life drift by in a haze of laziness.

We wear ourselves out trying to impress people or climb the ladder of success. We chase profits all over the world, hoping the next deal will be the one. We get tangled up in conflicts, either causing trouble or living in fear of it. Or we spend years trying to please powerful people who might not even notice or appreciate our efforts.

So many people spend their days looking at what others have achieved, feeling jealous, or just complaining about their own situation. Others feel restless and jump from one new idea to the next, never really settling on anything or finding purpose. Some folks have no real direction at all – they're just drifting along, and life passes them by before they know it.

It reminds me of that wise old saying: "The part of life we truly live is small." So much of the rest isn't really living – it's just... time passing by.

It's like our bad habits build walls around us. They keep us stuck and prevent us from seeing things clearly. Once these desires take over, it's incredibly hard to find our way back to who we truly are. Even if we manage to break free for a little while, we often feel restless and unsettled, like ocean waves still choppy after a storm. We can't seem to find peace from our own cravings.

And don't think this only applies to people whose lives seem obviously difficult. Take a look at the ones everyone seems to admire – the successful, the wealthy, the famous. Often, they feel smothered by the very things that look like blessings from the outside! Think about it:

• How many people feel weighed down by their wealth?

• How many public figures exhaust themselves just trying to keep up appearances?

• How many burn out chasing one pleasure after another?

• How many lose all their personal freedom because they're constantly surrounded by crowds or demands?

Look closely at people from all walks of life. One person needs assistance, another person provides assistance. One person is facing judgment, another is defending them, another is making the judgment. It seems like almost everyone is caught up in serving someone else's needs or agenda. Hardly anyone seems to truly own their own life – we're all busy being used up by something or someone else. Even famous people often just serve the interests of others. Nobody seems to belong entirely to themselves.

Isn't it strange, then, when people get upset because some important person acts proud or won't give them the time of day? How can we complain about someone else being too busy for us, when we don't even make time for ourselves?

Think about it: That powerful person might, just maybe, glance your way, listen for a second, or let you stand nearby. But you? Do you ever truly look at yourself? Do you ever listen to your own inner voice? Do you ever pay attention to what you need?

So, maybe we shouldn't expect praise or thanks for all the running around we do for others, especially if we were doing it just to avoid spending quiet time with ourselves.