Asi Es La Vida...

A(n amazing) Belated Birthday

Something that I have been pondering since I arrived here in Ecuador is how to qualify ¨Quality of Life¨. Many times I read or hear that someone´s ¨quality of life¨ has been improved or that the ¨quality of life¨ of people in an entire country is better compared to a certain amount of years ago. Mainly these things are related to a higher income, more educational opportunities, or better access to healthcare.

As many of you are aware, I am a big critic of using one´s income to rate the quality of one´s life, while on the other hand, I am a huge proponent for more (and more equal) education and health services. Yet, I have observed here there is something to be said for simply having more money (these people make $7 a day on average... for their entire family). And education and healthcare are not the end-all goals of life, as I have met many super content illiterate people who live almost a lifetime away from a real medical facility.

The one barometer that I have found to be extremely constant related to people´s quality of life is the quality of their relationships with their family and their friends. In the end, we decide whether our life is ¨good¨ by (many times unconciously)evaluating the people who love us and who we love. Are we surrounded by people who love and support us? Who laugh with us and make us laugh? Do we have mothers, fathers (or their surrogates) who were always in front, behind, or beside us regardless of what happened? Do we have friends that we can count on to jump in front of that train when it bears down on us... will we do the same for them?

These, I believe, are the correct questions to ask ourselves when we rank the quality of our own lives (or think of others´). These are the thing in which we should think when we are unsatisfied with where we are at or what we are doing... when we say ¨there should be something MORE than this!?¨

Anyway... I was reminded of how much QUALITY my life possesses as my family and friends flooded me with letters and pictures and even a few packages for my birthday this year! Wow. Thanks.

Anyway, as I continue in my search for the Divine, the Creator, the Purpose of Life and the Original Love... I am determined to remember that end is not the goal in this life, but rather the journey itself is what is to be enjoyed. AND, although beautiful places and crazy experiences are great, the most valuable and joy-giving aspect of this journey are the companions with whom one shares those moments and places and belly-laughs and tears.

To my companions: I am forever grateful that our paths have crossed and our journeys are intertwined.

posted by Steve @ 8:18 AM