Meaning(Less) of Life ; An Ecclesiastes Study

Everything Under The Sun

I have seen something else under the sun:

The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,
nor does food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all. (Ecclesiastes 9: 11, NIV)

It's like saying that the world is so unfair, is it? The strong don't always win and the fast could be beaten, the smart can't get rich, and the wise are starving. Why does it happen in a human's life? Or maybe, perhaps it's happened to us, as well. We've tried so hard in our times, whether if you're a student, a worker, a government officer, an entrepreneur, or others, and the good things in life never came and to make it worse, the bad things in life knocks the door (again). Perhaps it's time to hear the Teacher sayings.

Charles Bukowski story

Charles Bukowski was one of the most famous literature and poet in the 20th century and I read about his life in the book Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck and it's hilarious! He's not the guy that we'll want to meet, he's rude, disgusting, and had a drinking problem. He's a bad gambler and love to get laid with several women in several days. Although he wrote a lot of poetry and other things that made him a good fortune, he's still the same guy, until he died. In his tomb, he also wrote something for all the people in the world, a few words that help us to gain happiness in life; "Don't Try".

Although it's pessimistic phrase and pointless words, try to think it for a second and it'll blow your mind. I'll give you a hint. We all live in a greater and better world than any era of human history. And with all that advancement and progress, we all know having trouble finding ourselves be content and enjoying our time. It's weird, isn't it? The world is getting better, but human beings are not. We're just still the same creature since we started to invent fire. And why do I conclude on that premise? Simple, we're still a coward creature, not for other big creatures, but to ourselves. Precisely, we afraid to face our future.

To be afraid is not merely a negative thing, and it's one of the essentials instincts for us to ensure our survival at the early stone age. If we're a happy and grateful creature, I'm pretty sure, humans are easily extinct. Well, after a thousand years of development from a food gatherer, we're turned into a pleasure gatherer. We all wanted to gain as much pleasure as possible in our short age, so we eat, drink, sleep, having sex, even doing things out of humanity's value just to gain pleasure. And after that, then? We eat more, drink more, sex more, and do we feel satisfied? Yes, temporarily, and that's the problem starts.

It's a universal problem for humans and the Teacher said that it's Hevel. The more we gain, the less we satisfy. People that were trying to be rich, afraid to get robbed. People that were sought for knowledge, got crazy with their minds. The ones that seek happiness, found nothing, or even found disappointment. Crazy, isn't it? Are you one of them? And that's what happens Under the Sun. And if that's so, what should we do then? Should we do nothing, because of the pointlessness of seeking wealth, pleasure, and wit?

So, what's the point of life, then?

The Teacher never said that it was all pointless, but perhaps he wanted us to learn that in facing life choices, before choosing, we need to have a good mind to see through all of them. It's not a sin to seek pleasure, even he suggested us to have a good meal with friends, a nice drink, and enjoy the time. But the way we see it, when we see that as a target, an end, and forget to really get into the moment, that's the problem. Happiness doesn't work like that. Happiness comes when we stop to want it. It shines when we "stop trying" (Quoted by Bukowski).

Let the joy of life be to embrace with an open hand. Instead of trying so hard to be rich, try to enjoy the process. The friends that you made, the time that you spent, and the sweat that you drop. Instead of trying so hard to be wise, enjoy the lessons of life. Before trying to be happy, be happy first! (Parischa,2016). The time, we crave for more, then it'll all will dissolve and disappear. And that's the new perspectives that the Teacher was trying to tell us, dear readers. It's a hard lesson and no wonder Ecclesiastes was called skeptical wisdom.

And again, Ecclesiastes is not nihilism literature, wisdom, or philosophy, because to stop trying doesn't really mean, to stop whatever we do, because everything is pointless and meaningless, and go with the flow of time. That's not his point, and I think, he knew, after all, that life has a meaning, although it's hard to see and even understand (Because it's Hevel). Stop Trying, means to embrace the absurdity of the world, and to stop controlling the things that we can't control. We sometimes see happiness, is as something that can be gain, a thing, an object. And that's the missing point. Happiness is like a cat, to be trusted by a cat, it needs time and patience. But when the time is right, it'll come to you.

Embracing the Uncertainty and Hevel

To accept what is uncertain in life and just to control what can be controlled, our life attitude and heart conditions. To enjoy simple things in life, because that's one of the greatest gifts that God could have for humanity. There's a reason why the Teacher repeatedly to say that enjoy what you eat, drink, the friendship that we have, and even the exhausting working hours because all of those things are really worthwhile to think and be thankful for, after a tiring long day. It may be a feast with a silver-platter or a simple dish alongside a glass of water, no matter what's the condition, enjoy them all in this life under the sun.

So, what's the meaning of Everything Under the Sun? It's idiomatic that used to explain life in general. So, there's nothing new under the sun, an endless cycle of life. Does humanity, in general, have any significance in the earth's life? Yes, of course, but even so, nature had survived and thrived million years ago, even before humans existed, before the trees and fishes. Humans' lifetime are just a blink in the eye of nature and from this point, the Teacher stated why troubling our soul and heart, with things that aren't meaningful and essentials? That's a pointless thing to do Under the Sun.

So, hopefully, we all learned something from him, that could enlighten us and troubled us at the same time. It unravels the mystery of life, by breaking down all our general assumptions about living under the sun. So, is it important to seek knowledge? Of course, but watch yourself, because it'll be a great burden for your future-self. Are we allowed to seek happiness and wealth? Yes, absolutely! And be careful with your desire, because there'll always a consequence to bear.

Enjoy the simple things in life, with a short time, is what makes life meaningful and well. Got tired? Good! It means you've done well and good job! Having a great time with friends and a couple of beer? High five, to you! Let's embrace the uncertainty in life, because it's just too much for a single mind to bear, accept it in your heart, and that's the way of truly enjoying life and be joyful for the Teacher. It's not an easy lesson to understand and like the Ancient One in Dr. Strange Movie said, 'Not everything does, not everything has to be.' Try to accept it first, or agree to disagree and came to read Ecclesiastes again for another time, and hopefully, you'll find a whole new perspective, that the good things to do under the sun, isn't that complicate; to eat and sleep well even though you knew that it won't last forever and death will come eventually.

Yes, death is coming and there's nothing that we can do to stop it, and what're we going to do about it? We'll talk later, for the next chapter. I wish that you're still interested in this writing and give a little ache in the mind because that's the sign that we're thinking seriously and thoroughly. Death is not an easy topic and the Teacher had a lot to say about this. Hopefully, we'll meet soon.