91 - Still about the things
Marking register
It’s been about a month since I last made an appearance in your inbox and I hope you have missed me. I’ve definitely missed writing here.
The problem with not writing here for what feels like so long is that I do not currently feel like I have anything to write. This is also not surprising because my usual inputs have been missing for a while now.
I’ve spent the last few months studying for an exam and haven’t had as much time for the usual inputs that lead to musings. Thankfully the exam is now behind me and I am doing my best to distract myself while awaiting the results so I’m sure I’ll have a lot to muse about soon.
I decided to make an appearance today to remind myself that this is something I intend to stick with. I’m also aware that the longer I stay away, the easier the excuses become.
While reading one of the many newsletters I’m subscribed to, I came across the idea of Eternal recurrence which was popularized in the works of Friedrich Nietzsche. An excerpt from one of his books on this idea reads:
“What, if some day or night a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you: ‘This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more; and there will be nothing new in it, but every pain and every joy and every thought and sigh and everything unutterably small or great in your life will have to return to you, all in the same succession and sequence – and likewise this spider and this moonlight between the trees, and likewise this moment and I myself. The eternal hourglass of existence will be turned over again and again, and you with it, you speck of dust!’
Would you not throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse the demon who spoke thus? Or have you once experienced a tremendous moment when you would have answered him: ‘You are a god and never have I heard anything more divine.’”
In his newsletter, Sahil Bloom asks a few poignant questions I thought I’d share:
What changes would you need to make to your life such that the idea of living it over and over again would be exciting?
Who would you need to become?
What attitudes or self-limiting beliefs would you need to scrub away?
Recently I read
The Happy Couple by Naoise Dolan. I spied this title in the window of my local bookshop and immediately added it to my list. I had read the author’s debut novel and enjoyed it so I looked forward to reading more from her and this didn’t disappoint. As someone who loves words, Naoise makes me very happy. The wit, the sass, the sentence structure, everything about this book was giving. I also like how she writes about non-heteronormative relationships as a normal part of life, without appearing to force an agenda. Fantastic writing and story telling.
Recently I listened to
Episode #194 of The Knowledge Project titled - The Parent-Therapy Trap. Shane speaks to Abby Shrier about the pitfalls of therapy with a focus on children. Abby is a journalist and author of a book titled - Bad Therapy, why the kids aren’t growing up. Although I disagreed with some of her views, I found the discussion very interesting because she echoed some of my thoughts on how kids are being raised today, especially in the Western world. As well as the over-pathologizing of normal behaviour. The number of parents actively searching for a label to explain their child's behaviour is worrisome, especially considering that the behaviour is usually a direct consequence of their chosen parenting style. The discussion highlights some of the things that could be done better to produce kids who can develop the resilience required to carry them through life.
The days leading up to my exam and immediately after were filled with anxiety and tears but I am pleased to report that I am feeling a lot more even-keeled now. I’m doing my best to distract myself while I await the results and I am shamelessly soliciting thoughts and prayers so please add me to your prayer list.
Here’s wishing you a week full of days you would like to relive over and over again.
Chioma.