I'm Not A Loser (And You Can Keep Your Finders)

[taykair]

Most of us have heard the phrase since we were kids:

"Finders keepers, losers weepers."

It's something that many believe is true of life's journey - that the goal is to find The Answer. If you find it, then you're a winner, and those who are still seeking are just poor, pathetic losers.

I don't feel sorry for those who are seeking The Answer. I pity those who actually believe they've found it, and refuse to search any longer.

"What are you?" the people who have found The Answer ask me. And if I were to answer this or that, Christian, or Muslim, or Buddhist, or even atheist, then they would be satisfied. They might not agree with my Answer, but at least it's an answer, and that's enough for them.

But if I say that I'm only a wanderer - that I haven't found The Answer, and that I'm not particularly looking for one - then oh how they pity me! Poor guy. No goal. No focus. No path (that they can see). Poor, poor guy.

It's the journey that's important, folks, not the destination. If you hear, or see, or touch, or feel, or know just one more thing today than you did yesterday, then congratulations - you are still alive. Seek life, if you seek anything.

- - - - - - -​

"I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." - Isaac Newton

 

[bobhikes]

Most of us have heard the phrase since we were kids:

"Finders keepers, losers weepers."

It's something that many believe is true of life's journey - that the goal is to find The Answer. If you find it, then you're a winner, and those who are still seeking are just poor, pathetic losers.

I don't feel sorry for those who are seeking The Answer. I pity those who actually believe they've found it, and refuse to search any longer.

"What are you?" the people who have found The Answer ask me. And if I were to answer this or that, Christian, or Muslim, or Buddhist, or even atheist, then they would be satisfied. They might not agree with my Answer, but at least it's an answer, and that's enough for them.

But if I say that I'm only a wanderer - that I haven't found The Answer, and that I'm not particularly looking for one - then oh how they pity me! Poor guy. No goal. No focus. No path (that they can see). Poor, poor guy.

It's the journey that's important, folks, not the destination. If you hear, or see, or touch, or feel, or know just one more thing today than you did yesterday, then congratulations - you are still alive. Seek life, if you seek anything.

- - - - - - -​

"I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." - Isaac Newton

Have you ever thought that the answer may lead to many more searches only with a different view. You are right though not everyone needs to find the answer and finding it doesn't make you better than anyone. You are also right that the journey is more important than the destination. Lastly anyone that believes they are better than you hasn't found the answer.

 

[taykair]

Have you ever thought that the answer may lead to many more searches only with a different view. You are right though not everyone needs to find the answer and finding it doesn't make you better than anyone. You are also right that the journey is more important than the destination. Lastly anyone that believes they are better than you hasn't found the answer.

Wow! I love it when people say I'm right!

(Actually, it makes me a bit nervous. So many of us are so wrong about so much, that I begin to worry when folks start to agree with me.)

You are right (don't get nervous) in saying that one answer may lead to others. That's the whole point : Don't ever stop looking.

Back when I was a fundamentalist Christian, I used to take comfort in something the apostle Paul wrote:

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." - First Corinthians 13:12 (KJV).

Now I find the thought that one day all my questions will be answered "by and by" quite disappointing. That would mean that death truly would be the end, for what would be the purpose of living without discovering something new?

 

[YmirGF]

Most of us have heard the phrase since we were kids:

"Finders keepers, losers weepers."

It's something that many believe is true of life's journey - that the goal is to find The Answer. If you find it, then you're a winner, and those who are still seeking are just poor, pathetic losers.

I don't feel sorry for those who are seeking The Answer. I pity those who actually believe they've found it, and refuse to search any longer.

"What are you?" the people who have found The Answer ask me. And if I were to answer this or that, Christian, or Muslim, or Buddhist, or even atheist, then they would be satisfied. They might not agree with my Answer, but at least it's an answer, and that's enough for them.

But if I say that I'm only a wanderer - that I haven't found The Answer, and that I'm not particularly looking for one - then oh how they pity me! Poor guy. No goal. No focus. No path (that they can see). Poor, poor guy.

It's the journey that's important, folks, not the destination. If you hear, or see, or touch, or feel, or know just one more thing today than you did yesterday, then congratulations - you are still alive. Seek life, if you seek anything.

- - - - - - -​

"I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." - Isaac Newton

How dare you bring rationality and valuable insight into discussions about our shared quest exploring the human condition. Have you no sense of shame.

 

[taykair]

How dare you bring rationality and valuable insight into discussions about our shared quest exploring the human condition. Have you no sense of shame.

None whatsoever. And if you call me rational and accuse me of uttering a valuable insight just one more time, I'll sue!

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

I don't feel sorry for those who are seeking The Answer. I pity those who actually believe they've found it, and refuse to search any longer.

How do you feel about people that are content? I have no reason to want to change anything in my life, at least not for my own sake. I'm not seeking anything for myself.

Does that count as having enough answers? Do you pity me for that?

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Most of us have heard the phrase since we were kids:

"Finders keepers, losers weepers."

It's something that many believe is true of life's journey - that the goal is to find The Answer. If you find it, then you're a winner, and those who are still seeking are just poor, pathetic losers.

I don't feel sorry for those who are seeking The Answer. I pity those who actually believe they've found it, and refuse to search any longer.

"What are you?" the people who have found The Answer ask me. And if I were to answer this or that, Christian, or Muslim, or Buddhist, or even atheist, then they would be satisfied. They might not agree with my Answer, but at least it's an answer, and that's enough for them.

But if I say that I'm only a wanderer - that I haven't found The Answer, and that I'm not particularly looking for one - then oh how they pity me! Poor guy. No goal. No focus. No path (that they can see). Poor, poor guy.

It's the journey that's important, folks, not the destination. If you hear, or see, or touch, or feel, or know just one more thing today than you did yesterday, then congratulations - you are still alive. Seek life, if you seek anything.

- - - - - - -​

"I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." - Isaac Newton

Makes sense. I'd only caution you in assuming people giving an answer have stopped learning/seeking, etc. Or that they care much about this (necessarily).

 

[bobhikes]

Wow! I love it when people say I'm right!

(Actually, it makes me a bit nervous. So many of us are so wrong about so much, that I begin to worry when folks start to agree with me.)

You are right (don't get nervous) in saying that one answer may lead to others. That's the whole point : Don't ever stop looking.

Back when I was a fundamentalist Christian, I used to take comfort in something the apostle Paul wrote:

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." - First Corinthians 13:12 (KJV).

Now I find the thought that one day all my questions will be answered "by and by" quite disappointing. That would mean that death truly would be the end, for what would be the purpose of living without discovering something new?

If you haven't read it I recommend,

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

it is about the quest, the journey and the people along the way.

 

[taykair]

How do you feel about people that are content? I have no reason to want to change anything in my life, at least not for my own sake. I'm not seeking anything for myself.

Does that count as having enough answers? Do you pity me for that?

I'm okay with you being content. You might say I'm content with your contentment. I know what you're saying.

But surely you're not content with knowing all that you now know - not to the point where you don't want to know anything else. That would be pitiable, and I would be sorry for you.

I'm sure that's not the case, though.

 

[taykair]

Makes sense. I'd only caution you in assuming people giving an answer have stopped learning/seeking, etc. Or that they care much about this (necessarily).

I throw caution to the wind and say that those who say they do have The Answer have given up the journey. The journey they are on conforms to the narrow path which they have decided is the correct one. They don't stop searching, true enough. But their search is confined to their path, and few jump over the fence and immerse themselves in an alien land.

As for caring: You're right. They don't.

 

[taykair]

If you haven't read it I recommend,

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

it is about the quest, the journey and the people along the way.

I'll check that out. Thank you.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I throw caution to the wind and say that those who say they do have The Answer have given up the journey. The journey they are on conforms to the narrow path which they have decided is the correct one. They don't stop searching, true enough. But their search is confined to their path, and few jump over the fence and immerse themselves in an alien land.

As for caring: You're right. They don't.

It's selfish, in a way, but I'll use myself as an example. I'm an atheist, but I don't have 'The Answer'.

 

[osgart]

I believe I have a few answers, but that opens up an endless quest to achieve my answers. I've only just begun.

And having a few answers when there are endless things to learn, makes me humble. I truly don't feel superior or elitist to other people. But if I did achieve beyond some, I don't look down on anybody.

We are here to lift up good hearted folks, and improve upon everything.

I think the point of life is to help, whatever that requires.

 

[siti]

I dunno. Maybe the difference is just a matter of focus? A difference between focusing on the questions and focusing on the answers - or having the answers. Obviously at least most of us don't actually have 'the answer' - otherwise everyone would eventually agree and there's no sign of that happening any time soon - but these days I live for doubt and questioning and not knowing...maybe I always did at heart, because I was certainly never entirely satisfied with 'the answer' even when I was a pretty sure I had it. The only thing I'm 100% sure of these days is that I'm not sure of anything - and I am perfectly happy with that.

 

[David T]

Most of us have heard the phrase since we were kids:

"Finders keepers, losers weepers."

It's something that many believe is true of life's journey - that the goal is to find The Answer. If you find it, then you're a winner, and those who are still seeking are just poor, pathetic losers.

I don't feel sorry for those who are seeking The Answer. I pity those who actually believe they've found it, and refuse to search any longer.

"What are you?" the people who have found The Answer ask me. And if I were to answer this or that, Christian, or Muslim, or Buddhist, or even atheist, then they would be satisfied. They might not agree with my Answer, but at least it's an answer, and that's enough for them.

But if I say that I'm only a wanderer - that I haven't found The Answer, and that I'm not particularly looking for one - then oh how they pity me! Poor guy. No goal. No focus. No path (that they can see). Poor, poor guy.

It's the journey that's important, folks, not the destination. If you hear, or see, or touch, or feel, or know just one more thing today than you did yesterday, then congratulations - you are still alive. Seek life, if you seek anything.

- - - - - - -​

"I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." - Isaac Newton

Growth is something we run from most of the time.

 

[taykair]

It's selfish, in a way, but I'll use myself as an example. I'm an atheist, but I don't have 'The Answer'.

Neither you, nor I, nor anyone else does. I'm glad you're aware of that. Few atheists whom I've encountered are. (Don't be offended by that. Few Christians, Muslims, and so on that I've met are.)

Of course, it's not enough simply to say, "I'd change my belief system if confronted by strong evidence to contrary." One must actively seek out evidence to the contrary, and not be dismissive of it when found.

 

[taykair]

I dunno. Maybe the difference is just a matter of focus? A difference between focusing on the questions and focusing on the answers - or having the answers. Obviously at least most of us don't actually have 'the answer' - otherwise everyone would eventually agree and there's no sign of that happening any time soon - but these days I live for doubt and questioning and not knowing...maybe I always did at heart, because I was certainly never entirely satisfied with 'the answer' even when I was a pretty sure I had it. The only thing I'm 100% sure of these days is that I'm not sure of anything - and I am perfectly happy with that.

You could have just ended your post after "I dunno" and it would have been enough. The rest was great too, though.

 

[taykair]

Growth is something we run from most of the time.

As if our asses were on fire. Yes indeed, we do run.

 

[David T]

As if our asses were on fire. Yes indeed, we do run.

We are like ocd about it!! "anything please distract me I might grow"..

 

[taykair]

I believe I have a few answers, but that opens up an endless quest to achieve my answers. I've only just begun.

And having a few answers when there are endless things to learn, makes me humble. I truly don't feel superior or elitist to other people. But if I did achieve beyond some, I don't look down on anybody.

We are here to lift up good hearted folks, and improve upon everything.

I think the point of life is to help, whatever that requires.

Great thoughts, and a great outlook. I would only add to helping - learning.