“Life is a mystery to be lived, not a problem to be solved.”
A message on Saiorse Molloy, the refrigerator in “Round Ireland With a Fridge” by Tony Hawkes
British comedian Tony Hawkes hitchhiked the circumference of Ireland, refrigerator in tow, in a month, to win a late night bar bet. When someone picked him up, or bought him a pint, they could autograph Saiorse, his refrigerator/trip companion. Along his journey, instead of their name, someone had written, “Life is a mystery to be lived, not a problem to be solved.”
I like the quote so well that I have it posted on my refrigerator (which is not likely to join me on any Irish journeys) and my computer at work. It conveys an optimistic sense of hope and wonder about the upcoming years that we should all have.
Life is a verb, an action word; each day an adventure.
Life is a mystery. We have little idea what 2004 will throw at us. Certainly 2004 is more a mystery than most. Who will be our next governor and president? Will the economy stabilize? Will we learn to understand Ozzy Osbourne if we listen long enough?
And 2004 will, as any year, be a mixture of highs and lows. Lives will begin and end. Families will split and some reconcile. Spring will bring the usual influx of weddings.
Isn’t it great, though, that we don’t know what will happen tomorrow or next month?
Because we don’t know what the day, and certainly the year, will bring, we should get up full of energy and curiosity. There is a sense that we can make the day, and year, whatever we want — that we are in control of our destiny.
Life is a mystery to live. There is so much to learn and so many interesting people to know, boredom should be a felony. Libraries, TV and the Internet can provide us information on any topic we choose. Service clubs and sports associations are always looking for volunteers. Every senior citizens’ center welcomes new members with smiles, life stories written from experience, and a deck of cards or soft chair to facilitate a new friendship’s growth.
In my favorite golf book, “Missing Links” by Rick Reilly, the odd cast of characters discuss, among their entertaining musings, things that have never been said.
“He seems like such a nice ax murderer,” and, “Sir, would you mind if I ate the rest of your haggis,” come to mind. Another, from my experience, is “I wish I would have done less in my life.” Humans are creatures meant to explore and expand. Creatures meant to live.
Life is mystery to live, not a problem to solve. I had a friend some years ago who earned enough money to retire at 40. He lived in a big house with a woman who loved him endlessly. As years went by after his retirement he began letting smaller and smaller things ruin his day. How could anyone smile when their coffee took three extra minutes to perk or their dog had gas? Any irregularity threw my ex-friend for a loop. Life, in his mind, was a perpetual set of obstacles — problems he had to solve to have a decent day. His house, his money, his wonderful wife are minor, intermittent joys in times filled with problems to solve. At 55 he has few friends remaining and a black belt in finding reasons to be miserable each day.
Perhaps my friend needs an adventure. Like hitchhiking around Ireland with an appliance. Depending on others to take you from town to town. Never knowing what the next car might bring. Not knowing where you would be sleeping or who you may meet that day. Maybe he would get up with a smile and filled with energy if he saw the wonder each day’s uncertainty can have, instead of the problems each day can throw at us. After all, life is a mystery to live, not a problem to solve. Any well-traveled refrigerator knows that.
