Tag Archives: Book of Questions

Question 132 (from The Book of Questions by Gregory Stock, PhD)
If you went to a beach and it turned out to be a nude beach, would you stay and go swimming? Would you swim nude?

If I were in a new, exotic land and had gone to the beach for a swim only to discover that it was a nude beach, I would probably go ahead and stay for my swim. I would rather keep my swimsuit on (for protection from painful jellyfish stings in sensitive places, you see), but if there was an enforced law that said I could only swim in the nude, then I’d strip down and run for the waves. When in Rome, right?

In reality, I don’t often swim at the beach. I’m more of a long walk, hunt for seashells, read a book, stare at the waves and find my zen kind of gal. I don’t think I’d feel as comfortable doing those things on a nude beach as I would on a traditional beach, whether I myself was clothed or not. As I’ve said before, I’m self-conscious, even on my best days, and in the back of my mind I’d be wondering if other people were looking at me or if they were wondering what I was looking at. From either angle, it’d just be awkward, and would negate the peace, spiritual rejuvenation, and mental cleansing that I seek when I’m at the beach.

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Posts I commented on today:
(In case you missed the reason for this, I participated in the A to Z Blogging Challenge in April, and though I posted every day, I was lousy at visiting and commenting on other participants’ blogs. So for each day in May, I’ve vowed to visit and comment on three posts from the various blogging communities whose members have supported my efforts. At least one post MUST be from a new blog I haven’t yet visited.)

For a Little Fun Without the Work~~Packet Meals (Change Is Good…Right?)  new blog of the day
Reflections of the A-Z April Blog Challenge (Traveling Suitcase)  another new blog for today
Friday Fictioneers 5/31-13 (Musings from the Turnip Patch)  third new blog today!!

Question 32
Would you accept twenty years of extraordinary happiness and fulfillment if it meant you would die at the end of the period?

At first, I thought my answer to Gregory Stock‘s question was going to be affirmative. I’m 40 years old–when I’m 60, there is a good chance that I will have already outlived my mother and possibly even my husband. I have no children, so I won’t be hoping to live long enough to see graduations, weddings, grandchildren, and the like. If my loved ones are going to be gone by that point anyway, why not trade twenty years of extraordinary happiness for a finite number of days?

But then I thought, “Wait. Life is pretty good right now.” Most days I would say I am happy, and though there are some areas (career) where there is room for improvement, for the most part my life leaves me feeling fulfilled. So what exactly are extraordinary happiness and fulfillment? Are they really that much different from the happiness and fulfillment I have now? (And trust me, it’d be just my luck to agree to the trade-off, then find out what I’ve got and what I think I’m getting are actually the same thing, except now I’ve screwed myself out of the joys of retirement and senior discounts.) Does extraordinary happiness mean never having a day when I feel angry, sad, worried, confused, hurt, or just blah? Does extraordinary fulfillment mean I have everything I’ve ever wanted in every aspect of my life–family, friends, finances, health, work, leisure? Would all of that really be better than what I’ve got now? I mean, if I never felt sadness, how would I know when I’m truly happy? If I already have everything I ever wanted, wouldn’t I lose the joy of pursuing and achieving goals on my own?

So after careful consideration, I don’t think I’d accept only twenty more years of life in exchange for extraordinary happiness and fulfillment. For as long as I’m able, I will continue on as I have been, making the most of each day and seeking fulfillment by working to create my own happiness through whatever opportunities and obstacles life throws my way. Looking back on this decision twenty years from now, with hopefully another couple of decades stretching in front of me, I can’t see how I could have any regrets.

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Posts I commented on today:
About the Project (Jump for Joy! Photo Project)  new blog of the day
15 A Day in the Life (Janice Heck: My Time to Write)
I’m a Bitch, I’m a Lover, I’m a Child… (Rendezvous with Renee)