It is well established that humans run on desires (which is another discussion to have) the desires never end and quest to complete one desire after another sums up the life for most people. This blog is about what is it that 'complete one's desire' means? Desires are not born out of vacuum, in general you see, hear, smell, taste or feel something and you want it. The biases and prejudices in the mind keeps accumulating in the head, as it lends uneven weight-age to one feeling as compared to the other and hence the desires are born in a head. The problem is - the mind does not know what is it that will satisfy that desire. Of coarse if you go spiritual then desire itself is a problem. but let's say it is not. How do you find out what to do to satisfy it? If it is a food, you want to eat it. (question is how much and what frequency) If it is a painting you want to look at it (buy it?), if it is a product like car, electronic gadget, you want to ride in it or play with it or use it ( buy it?). If it is a human relation you want that person to be affiliated to you somehow (make some connection to him/her). If it is attraction you want to own the significant other (marriage?).
It is clear there is desire .. it is not clear what is it that will make the feeling of desire fulfilled. I like this philosophy because with a slight twist in thinking you can just own everything in the world by not owning anything. this philosophy is borrowed from a lecture I heard 20 years ago. This stayed with me, the person spoke about a simple car example. He said you guys work so hard and then get this swanky expensive car and then I and your driver own it. Because when the car came to pick me up, I was the owner, it was for me and it was working under my instructions. why do I need to have a paper saying that this product when not being used by me is still mine? what is this obsession of ownership?
I like a thing, place, animal, human ... I have to own it (by money). You go to a scenic place instead of enjoying the place you are busy owning it in the camera. when you see a beautiful girl, you want her maybe want to marry and what if another one shows up? ownership is expensive, all consuming, and a lot of effort. You can keep trying to cover one desire and rest 1000 desires remain unfulfilled. If you see a flower and you love it, look at it twice and thrice talk to yourself on how beautiful it is but then check the box of fulfillment, there is nothing more you can do out of that desire. Take the flower home, take pictures, buy a plant which will bear the flower and put it in your garden - these are adding stress to that desire with diminishing returns the peak of happiness you got out of that desire was - when you looked and appreciated it. Same applies to any product, a house you like if you have access to it, go there and without any prejudice and bias enjoy it. That house after that is a mere structure even if you bought it. A whiz kid you saw who has multitude of talents enjoy them and check the box, don't try to bring it home and spoil your kid's life because you need to own it more. The scenic view in someone's backyard gives you the exhilaration ... enjoy and stop. That view in your backyard will never give you the same feeling.
In other words stop before it gets stressful and returns diminish... don't consummate.
Here is a song that captures it. You're beautiful it's true... I don't know what to do (you don't need to do anything, THAT moment was the peak of ownership) .... but I will never be with you (you don't need to get into diminishing returns and spoil the peak).
