There’s a cliche about how a man lying on his deathbed never wishes that he had spent more time at work.
According to the internet, the quote originates a memoir written by US Senator Paul Tsongas in the 80s. It’s actually quite a touching book — Paul uses the pages to explain his battle with cancer and his subsequent decision to a promising political career to spend more time with family.
“Since I didn’t have a lot of close friends, the family was where I fulfilled my human aspirations. The Senate had become an obstacle to that. As Niki told a reporter later on, “We are a self-contained unit.” Or as an old friend, Arnold Zack, wrote to me in a letter, “No one on his deathbed ever said, ‘I wish I had spent more time on my business.’”
- Paul
When trying to answer the question why, I think it is futile to try to find the answer in external things like jobs or money or cars or vacations or muscles. It sorta feels like everyone I know finds their “why” in the people they surround themselves with: friends, family, partners, etc.
I quote this poem a lot, but Neil Hilborn said it best:
Isolation is not safety, it is death.
If no one knows you’re alive, you aren’t.
If a tree falls in a forest and no one’s around to hear it, it does make a sound but then that sound is gone.
I’m not saying you will find the meaning of life in other people,
Im saying other people are the life to which you provide the meaning
Anyways.
If you don’t believe me, listen to Axelrod (the billionaire from the show Billions).
Or listen to Tom Brady. Ya know, the seven time super bowl winner.
- kram