Filler Episodes

"Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans." --Alan Saunders

I love the movie from Disney/Pixar Soul, because it talks about life, and the purpose of life, and how beautiful just living is. One quote from it comes after Joe has finally achieved his dream of playing in the jazz quartet, but doesn't really feel any different. It's a story about two fish:

I heard this story about a fish. He swims up to an older fish and says, “I’m trying to find this thing they call ‘the ocean.'” “The ocean?" the older fish says. “That’s what you’re in right now.” "This?” says the young fish. “This is water. What I want is the ocean!”

The meaning behind it is that sometimes we are so busy searching for meaning or purpose in our lives that we fail to recognize that it is literally right in front of us. 

Another quote, from Alan Watts, which summarized is that life is not a journey. We are not here just for the destination. Life is a dance. Does a dance have a purpose, an end goal? It is meant to be enjoyed in the present.

When are we going to choose to be happy? After the next thing? After I get a job, then I'll be happy. Or, after I get married, or, after I get a promotion. The problem is you keep moving the goal posts, so by definition you will never reach it. Choose to be happy NOW. Choose to live your life NOW.

There are no filler episodes. Or every episode is a filler episode. Because every moment of life is just as precious as another moment. If you're only focused on the weekend, you'll miss most of life. If you only focused on the non-filler episodes, you'll miss most of life.

Because life IS the filler episodes.