Living for Yourself The Philosophy of Life

The warm summer breeze caressed our skin as we stood under the lush green canopy of an oak tree. Our ice cream popsicles had melted down, leaving sticky residue on our fingers that blended with the fresh blades of grass under our feet. The leaves rustled above us as the breeze passed through them, a soothing melody to our ears.

As we watched the tree, we noticed a couple of sparrows busily chirping away. They had built their nest on a thick branch, and we could see the male sparrow flying away to bring food for his newly born baby and wife. We stood there, fascinated, observing the couple as they struggled to feed their child. The mother sparrow would peck at the grains of food, chew them, swallow them, and then vomit the bits into her baby's open beak.

Suddenly, I heard my name, and I turned to see her looking at me with the most innocent expression I had ever seen on any girl. She pronounced my name like no one else could, adding more sweetness and politeness to my not-so-soft name. "Arthur?" she asked.

"Hmm..." I hummed, still gazing at the sparrows.

"What's Life?" she asked again, her voice laced with curiosity.

I averted my eyes in shock, taken aback by her question. I looked at her, and she wore the same innocent expression, but this time, there was concern in her eyes. "You," I whispered, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm serious," she said, her tone firm.

"I'm not joking," I replied, equally serious.

I reached for her hand, which was carelessly laid at her side, and grasped it in mine. She stared at me as I caressed the back of her hand with my thumb.

"For me, you're more than my life," I said, looking deeply into her eyes. "Every day, I wake up, and I smell you around me. Every moment we spend together, I feel your touch against my skin, and it lingers for days until we meet again. Your sight waters my eyes, and your smile makes my soul come alive. For me, you're my life."

I felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders as I spoke those words, but I knew they were true. She was everything to me, and I couldn't imagine a life without her.

It started raining, and I looked up to see her tears falling like raindrops from her eyes. I cupped her face in my hands and wiped her cheeks, trying to soothe her. "Stop crying, please," I begged. "My feeble heart can't bear to see tears in your eyes."

"It's the tears of happiness," she said, blowing out a shaky breath.

"Tears are tears," I said authoritatively. "No tears in front of me."

She didn't say another word but hugged me tightly, her arms locking around my body. I could feel the wetness of her tears soaking through my shirt, but I didn't care. All I wanted was to hold her close and never let go.

Eventually, she released me and went inside her home to grab something for us to eat. I sat on the grass at the bank of the river flowing pleasantly and carelessly, lost in my thoughts. Our vacation was about to end, and there was only a week left before school reopened. But right now, all that mattered was her and the love we shared.

I had come to Leisel's place to complete our math homework. When I arrived, her parents had just left to do some grocery shopping, leaving us alone for a few hours. I was pleasantly surprised when Leisel suggested that we have a picnic by the river while we worked on our assignment. It was clear that she had put a lot of thought into making the day special, and I was grateful for the opportunity to spend time with her in such a beautiful setting.

As we sat by the river, the waves gently lapping against the shore, I couldn't help but be struck by the beauty of the natural world around us. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the leaves rustled in the breeze. Leisel's voice was soft and soothing as she asked me for help with our homework, and I felt myself becoming more relaxed and at ease with each passing moment.

We had already enjoyed a delicious ice cream together before Leisel suggested that we have pancakes and orange juice for our picnic lunch. I was just about to take a bite of my pancake when I interrupted her, unable to resist the urge to ask a deep and meaningful question.

"Leisel?" I said, catching her attention. "What's life for you?"

She looked up at me, her eyes bright and curious. "Yes, Arthur?" she said.

I hesitated for a moment, wondering why I had even asked the question. But there was something in Leisel's eyes that made me feel safe and comfortable, like I could be completely honest with her. So I took a deep breath and asked again. "What's life for you?"

Leisel tilted her head to the side, her gaze thoughtful. She closed the lid of the basket and turned her full attention to me. "Arthur, I think I'm still in the age where kids of my age search for the meaning of life," she began. "But so far, what I have realized is that life is not just about one person or thing. We can't associate our lives with someone we love, or feel attracted towards. Life is more than that."

As she spoke, I couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and awe at the beauty of her words. Leisel had always been so articulate and thoughtful, but there was something about the way she spoke about life that was truly inspiring.

"Life is about experiencing different things," she continued. "Like nature, humans, weathers, mountains, and even air. Sometimes we imprison ourselves in the cells of our own wishes and desires that we forget to cherish the simple feel of fresh air against our skins, nourishing our bodies, kissing it and consoling our souls."

Her words struck a chord with me, and I found myself nodding along in agreement. It was true that we often got so caught up in our own desires and wants that we forgot to appreciate the simple things in life.

"We neglect our lives for others, we feel attached towards," she went on. "But that just couldn't be life for me, at least. The idea of dedicating my life to one thing or one person is something I don't support. In fact, one should not dedicate their whole life to one person or thing. The world is huge, God has bestowed us with his most precious and creative and unique masterpiece. This world is his masterpiece. He's the artist. It'd be wrong if we just neglect everything else he created for us and dedicated our life to just one thing. Why not experience all the colors He had created for us?"

As she spoke, I felt a sense of wonder and awe wash over me. Leisel's words had opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about life.

As I sat there, listening intently to her every word, my mind couldn't help but wander to the deeper meaning behind her words. She spoke with the wisdom of a philosopher, her voice laced with a hint of melancholy. Her words were like a soothing balm, yet they also seemed to awaken a sense of unease within me.

She spoke of life as if it were a precious, delicate thing that we should cherish and enjoy for our own sake. Her eyes were fixed on some distant point, lost in thought as she spoke of how people come and go in our lives, and how no one truly cares for others. It was a somber thought, but one that resonated with me in some way.

Her words were a reminder that we are all alone in this world, and that we should live our lives to the fullest, without worrying about what others think or expect of us. She urged me to enjoy every moment of every day as if it were a new beginning, and not to waste my precious time on things that didn't matter.

As she spoke, I felt a knot form in my stomach, a sense of unease and insecurity creeping in. Her words were both comforting and unsettling, like a gentle breeze that carries with it the promise of change.

In the end, I couldn't help but wonder if she was right. Should we really dedicate our lives to others, or should we focus on living for ourselves? It was a question that lingered in my mind long after she had finished speaking, a question that would continue to haunt me for days to come.