Sine Qua Non
Sine Qua Non, Latin meaning “without which none”
“an indispensable and essential action, condition or ingredient”
“a necessity“
I live a fairly rigid and structured life. I have my days scheduled including time for work, household chores, errands, exercise, social activities, and even play. I ask myself why I do this. Well, I have goals. I’m a compulsive list-maker and I believe the only difference between a dream and a goal is a plan. So I plan.
But why do this at all? Why have goals and not just dreams? More often than not, things never work out like you intend. Your carefully crafted plan may hit the dart board, but not often the bull’s eye. So why bother?
Sine Qua Non… because there are elements in my life that make it worth living. Without these ingredients, there is no zip, no ambition, no zeal, no wonder, no satisfaction, no fulfillment. What is it in your life, that without its presence, the work of the day has no meaning? I find answers to this every day, and indeed, these things change with time.
When Mom and I steal away in the middle of the week to eat a burger and fries.
Walking my dog on a beautiful day.
Having someone make me laugh so hard I cry.
Sharing a meal with friends.
Finishing a good painting. (most of them are terrible, so this is quite rare)
Curling up by the fire on a snowy night with a cat in my lap and a great video game.
Picking beautiful tomatoes from my garden in the summertime.
Sleeping in, snuggled up on a Sunday morning.
I know that many of us are tightening our belts and going without our usual luxuries. Even if we’re not experiencing a financial pinch, many of us are still paring the stuff of our lives down to the essentials. I fall into this category, saving every extra penny. It’s not so much “What can I live without?” as it is “What makes life worth living?”. Answering this question has shown me how much I really don’t need and strangely has freed me to enjoy those essential ingredients even more.
photo credit: Shoes on Wires