I�ve just completed �The Unbearable Lightness of Being� by Milian Kundera. After dedicating my summer and fall to Ayn Rand, this was a pleasant change of pace. I�ve gone from the virtue of selfishness, to the virtue of lightness. The analogy that had the greatest impact on me from �The Unbearable Lightness of Being� was the relationship between the female character and her dog. The dog is in the autumn of its life and the female character realizes that the relationship with her pet is the most satisfying relationship she has ever had. After analyzing why she feels this way, she has an epiphany. You never wonder whether or not your pet will leave you. There is never a question of the quantity of love the animal can give. You never second-guess your feelings toward your pet. It�s light because the relationship comes without questions. You are driven simply by desire and not by obligation. I�ve put this to practice in my personal life. My twisted spin on selfishness, and lightness is that I�m going to enjoy every situation, and not concern myself with how the situation will impact others. Instead of over analyzing what I could have or should have done differently to improve each moment for others, I�m simply enjoying it myself. Over the Ayn Rand summer, I was involved with a man whom I considered more intelligent than I was. I never felt very comfortable with him because I wasn�t sure how I tricked him into dating me. I didn�t know what attracted him to me. Soon after our relationship came to a close, I was involved with another man. Again, a very intelligent man, and again I never felt comfortable with him because I was afraid that he would realize his mistake in his attarction to me. Of course our relationship ended. I spent several weeks trying to find out how I should change my dating character for the next act. My epiphany came during this period of how should I change, and while I was reading �The Unbearable Lightness of Being�. I discovered that I never asked myself if I was attracted to these men. Or even if I enjoyed spending time with them. My only thoughts were how to convince them to want me. Looking back I found that more often than not, I didn�t even like these guys. Now I am able to enjoy the time we spent together, and reflect on it pleasantly. I�m living my life for only me, as light as I can! |
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