Life Revisited

When I started Eutopia Today the goal was not just to focus on Catholicism but to try to shift people in the right direction to help humanity as a whole. Here’s one of my very first posts when I started this publication back in July 2021, now in a new Podcast style conversation. Have a listen. I’ve included the original article released July 9, 2021, below for your convenience. (00:00:00):Welcome to the Deep Dive.(00:00:01):So today we're looking at this interesting piece of text someone sent in.(00:00:05):Right, anonymous author tackling, well, the meaning of life itself.(00:00:10):Exactly.(00:00:11):And our goal here is just to unpack your perspective, see what resonates.(00:00:14):And they really, they don't hold back, do they?(00:00:17):Kicking off saying, you don't know, Jack, about life.(00:00:20):Yeah, it's quite the opener.(00:00:21):Makes you stop and think, like, what knowing are they even talking about?(00:00:24):What do they think we're missing?(00:00:26):That's the hook.(00:00:27):And then the advice is, well, unexpected.(00:00:29):Totally.(00:00:30):Go check Merriam-Webster's dictionary.(00:00:32):You don't hear that every day as the path to enlightenment.(00:00:34):No, you really don't.(00:00:36):So what did they apparently find there?(00:00:38):Well,(00:00:39):according to the text,(00:00:40):it wasn't the main definition,(00:00:41):but something tucked away,(00:00:44):like a kid's definition.(00:00:45):Yeah, right at the bottom.(00:00:47):And it's incredibly simple.(00:00:49):Energy and spirit.(00:00:50):Energy and spirit.(00:00:51):Huh.(00:00:52):It's basic almost.(00:00:54):It is very fundamental.(00:00:55):Strips away all the,(00:00:56):you know,(00:00:56):the job titles,(00:00:57):the bank accounts,(00:00:58):all that stuff we usually focus on.(00:00:59):It makes you wonder, were we like ever really taught to think of life that way?(00:01:05):Just pure energy, pure spirit.(00:01:07):The author seems to think that's ground zero.(00:01:09):The starting point we've maybe skipped over.(00:01:11):And they don't stop there, right?(00:01:13):Yeah.(00:01:13):There's another definition they highlight.(00:01:15):Exactly.(00:01:16):Building on that first one, it's your spiritual existence that transcends your physical death.(00:01:21):Okay, so now we're going beyond just the here and now.(00:01:24):Energy, spirit, and something that continues after we die.(00:01:27):Right.(00:01:27):It links the basic essence, energy, and spirit to this idea of transcendence.(00:01:32):It paints a much bigger picture of what life encompasses.(00:01:36):So putting it together,(00:01:37):this author's core idea is life isn't really about the day-to-day stuff we stress over.(00:01:42):Not primarily, no.(00:01:44):It's fundamentally about this energy, this spirit, and this ongoing spiritual reality.(00:01:49):And they feel understanding this should be our main focus, like number one priority.(00:01:55):That seems to be the argument, that this understanding should be the absolute foundation.(00:02:00):Why such a heavy emphasis, do you think?(00:02:02):What changes if we actually buy into that?(00:02:05):Well, think about it.(00:02:06):If that's what life truly is, does it change what you value day to day?(00:02:12):Does your job, your car, your worries, do they seem less central?(00:02:20):Yeah, potentially.(00:02:21):It's just the whole game board, maybe.(00:02:23):The author seems convinced it does.(00:02:24):They use this image of life being a roller coaster for most people.(00:02:28):Right.(00:02:28):Up and down, unstable.(00:02:30):What's the connection they're making there?(00:02:31):The instability,(00:02:32):they argue,(00:02:33):comes from not having the spiritual foundation,(00:02:35):from focusing on the temporary,(00:02:36):the material.(00:02:37):So because we don't get the energy and spirit part, we're on shaky ground.(00:02:41):That's the idea.(00:02:41):They even say we've built our lives, our entire foundation on glass stilts.(00:02:45):Wow.(00:02:46):Glass stilts.(00:02:48):That's a pretty vivid and worrying image.(00:02:50):It suggests fragility, danger.(00:02:52):A very stark warning.(00:02:53):And it connects, interestingly, to a biblical reference they bring up.(00:02:56):Oh, yeah.(00:02:57):Which one?(00:02:57):Matthew 7, verses 13 and 14.(00:03:00):Part about the thin and narrow gate.(00:03:02):Okay.(00:03:03):How does that fit with the dictionary definitions?(00:03:04):Well,(00:03:05):perhaps the author sees the common path focusing on worldly things as the easy,(00:03:09):wide gate that many follow.(00:03:11):Right.(00:03:11):The default path.(00:03:12):And understanding life as this deeper spiritual energy, this transcendent journey.(00:03:18):Maybe that's the less obvious narrow gate.(00:03:20):Hmm.(00:03:21):So finding that deeper meaning requires a conscious shift, a different kind of effort.(00:03:27):It implies a choice.(00:03:28):Yeah.(00:03:29):A shift away from the conventional view towards this spiritual core.(00:03:33):So it really leaves us with a question, doesn't it?(00:03:36):If we take these definitions seriously,(00:03:38):life as energy and spirit,(00:03:40):life as a spiritual existence that transcends physical death,(00:03:44):if you truly leaned into that idea,(00:03:46):how might it actually change,(00:03:48):you know,(00:03:48):what you prioritize tomorrow morning or next week?(00:03:51):It's definitely food for thought.(00:03:52):Does the foundation feel like glass stelts or something more solid?(00:03:56):Something to consider for sure and an alternative lens on what this whole life(00:03:59):thing might be about.Original Post The world has “educated” us to spend so much of our time and energy focusing on everything here. They designed the world so you have all but no choice but to navigate by those rules and customs.What if I told you, you don’t know jack about life. You don’t have to believe me, maybe you will believe Merriam Webster’s dictionary.First off, you have to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page to find almost hidden the kids definition of life which is simply defines it as energy and spirit.Wait hold on Willis, what are you taking about? I was never “educated” as a kid that life was about my energy and spirit! Were you? I didn’t think so. The good folks at Merriam Webster’s dictionary go on to define life as your spiritual existence that transcends your physical death.So life is really about your energy and spirit and your spiritual existence after you die.That should be your number one priority in this “roller coaster we call life” but it isn’t for most. That’s why it’s become a roller coaster.Most people have built their lives, their entire foundation on glass stilts due to their lack of knowledge on the meaning of life.This is why most people do not find the the thin and narrow gate(door). See Matthew 7:13-14 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit eutopiatoday.substack.com