Acceptance: Finding Joy in a Universe That Says “You Just Are”
When the hunger for a "Why" meets a silent universe, the answer isn't more searching—it's the courage to embrace life as it actually is.
It is startling to realize that I am essentially
searching for a signal in a world that is an end product of noise.
The Beginning
A part of me is defined by a singular, persistent ache: the
hunger for understanding the “Why” of my existence while living in a
universe that only offers “You Just Are.” My efforts to reconcile these
two opposites—the seeking of a reason and the indifference of reality—act as a
perpetual fuel for introspection. Their tension is an invitation to the sense
of the Absurd. It is startling to realize that I am essentially searching for a
signal in a world that is an end product of noise.
The Quiet Air
The feeling of absurdity is not a constant weight on my
shoulder, however; rather, it is as variable and unpredictable as the weather.
There are days when the air is quiet, and so is the feeling of the Absurd. On
days like those, I move through my routines with a sense of ease. The “Why” of
existence stays at bay. The joy of doing has an unquestioned and unexamined
presence; it requires no justification. While watching a movie, I do not
question whether I should be doing something “more meaningful” instead. I do
not risk losing the pleasure of the moment to the shadows of doubt.
The Storm
But then, without warning, the wind shifts. The winds of the
Absurd begin to howl. They are not unlike the Santa Ana of California,
dry and searing, or the Viento del Sur as it crests the Cantabrian
Mountains of Spain, tumbling down the slopes with a pressure that agitates the
soul. When these winds blow full force, they strip away the veneer of my
unquestioned engagement with daily routine. Quite suddenly, everything becomes
a question; everything needs to be turned over and examined. And with that, the
sense of coherence bids adieu.
The Danger of Exposure
If I leave myself exposed to these winds for too long, the
consequences are more than just philosophical dabbling into existence and its meaning; they become visceral.
Prolonged exposure to the Absurd manifests as disengagement and a sense of lethargy. If nothing matters on a cosmic scale, the simple act of cleaning the
kitchen sink or bringing oneself to answer an email begins to feel like moving
through molasses. Without a protective framework against the Absurd, the sense of motivation
withers.
I Am Not Alone
Cinema has long attempted to capture this internal
landscape. A striking cinematic portrait of this struggle is found in The
Bridge on the River Kwai. The protagonist, Colonel Nicholson, is a man who
refuses to inhabit a world that “Just Is.” Held in the senseless vacuum of a
prisoner-of-war camp, he seeks shelter from the winds of absurdity by anchoring
himself to a singular purpose: the construction of a magnificent bridge.
To Nicholson, the bridge is more than wood and stone; it is
his “Why.” It represents discipline, craftsmanship, and a defiant order against
the chaos of the jungle. He becomes so insulated within this constructed
meaning that he loses sight of the broader reality—that he is building a vital
instrument for his enemy. The climax arrives when the “glass house” of his
obsession finally shatters. In a moment of jarring clarity, he surveys the
destruction and realizes the utter senselessness of his labor. His final words—“Madness...
madness!”—serve as a haunting realization of the Absurd. He recognizes,
too late, that his signal of “meaning” was merely another piece in the noise of
war.
Seeking Shelter
For millennia, religion has served as our primary storm
cellar. It offers a sturdy roof of continuity, promising that our narrative
does not end at the grave and imbuing our moral choices with eternal weight.
That shelter, however, does not work for everyone or for me.
Are there other ways? Perhaps. One of them is the path of radical
acceptance: the suggestion that if my life does not have a pre-ordained meaning
or purpose, that is okay.
The Acceptance
If I stop the quest for answers to my “Why,” the struggle
ends. The winds subside. To conceptualize this, consider the game of table
tennis that I play. There is no cosmic significance to a plastic ball moving across a net.
Yet, in the rhythmic click-clack, the focus of the eye, and the kinetic
joy of the movement, the search for the “Why” of me becomes irrelevant for a
few hours.
If I can internalize this on a larger scale, the harsh winds
of the Absurd will lose their bite. In that acceptance, I can find a quiet,
resilient serenity. The goal is to move toward an acceptance that becomes part
of my marrow. From that vantage point, the existential gusts are no longer a
threat; I may occasionally sway, but I will remain anchored. And so, I can
pray:
Universe, grant me the serenity to accept the state of my absurdity that I cannot change, courage to find joy in the mundane, and wisdom to know the difference.
I live in the hope that the acceptance of “You Just Are”
will keep the harsh winds of absurdity at bay.
Ciao, and thanks for reading.
