“An aimless life is always a miserable life.” [The Science of Living, On Education]
Why?
If one has an aim, one can follow quietly the way which leads to the goal.
It is not necessary to have a goal in order to follow the way quietly. So many men who have no goal follow quite calmly the course of their daily round without making any effort!
An aim gives joy.
Sometimes it takes an entire lifetime to attain one’s aim; one would then find joy only at the end of one’s life!
An aim is an ideal and an ideal is an enrichment.
Yes, but one may have an altogether material ideal; it is not the ideal which gives joy.
An aim gives a meaning, a purpose to life, and this purpose implies an effort; and it is in effort that one finds joy.
Exactly. It is the effort which gives joy; a human being who does not know how to make an effort will never find joy. Those who are essentially lazy will never find joy—they do not have the strength to be joyful! It is effort which gives joy. Effort makes the being vibrate at a certain degree of tension which makes it possible for you to feel the joy.
[The Mother: CWM 4]
