Hello! Two weeks ago I shared the following quote from Oliver Berkeman’s work: “…approaching life not as an opportunity to implement your predetermined plans for success but as a matter of responding to the needs of your place and your moment in history.” This statement is a reflection on life and our role within it. I’ve been turning it over in my mind ever since.
As I grappled with the essence of these words, they reminded me of another quote that has guided me since childhood. It is attributed to the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes and when translated, it reads, “only those who isolate themselves from the struggles of their time suffer from loneliness.”
At first glance, these two quotes might seem disconnected. But they reverberate with the same fundamental truth: the value of engaging with our surroundings, our community, and our time.
In Berkeman’s words, I hear a call to be present and adaptive, to respond to the world as it is rather than forcing our predefined plans upon it. This approach frees us from the rigid constraints of our expectations, enabling us to move fluidly with the dynamic dance of life.
Cervantes echoes this sentiment but shines light on the social element. He suggests that disconnection from the struggles of our time, isolation from the collective narrative of our era, can result in a loneliness that runs deeper than mere social isolation. It’s a loneliness of purpose, a disconnection from the pulse of the human experience.
Both Berkeman and Cervantes remind us that our skills, talents, and voices are not just personal assets. They are instruments that we can use to engage with the world, to contribute to the great causes of our era.
In the digital age, distractions abound. We live in a world that is increasingly competing for our attention with incessant clicks and swipes. But amid all the noise and flurry, these timeless words call us back to the heart of what matters: engaging with the moment, with the struggles, the causes, the issues, and the people who need us.
Both authors remind us that true fulfillment isn’t merely about personal achievements or the virality of our last post on LinkedIn or Threads. It lies in actively participating in the theater of life, in adding our unique notes to the symphony of human existence.
In the clamor of modern life, it’s easy to lose sight of this essential truth. We might become so absorbed in our personal ambitions and digital distractions that we forget to look up, to see the world around us, and to ask: “How can I contribute? How can I engage?”
As we navigate life, let’s strive to be present, to engage with the struggles of our time, and to utilize our unique skills and voices to make a difference. Because in this engagement with life, we might just find meaning and fulfillment.
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Roque Neto 