Most of what we regard as important in life is a carefully constructed illusion – empty pursuits that masquerade as meaning but ultimately amount to nothing more than distractions.
The glittering ambitions of wealth, fame, and power entice us, yet they lead to hollow and temporary victories. We aspire to material comfort, indulge in momentary pleasures, and chase after status, all while hoping to quell the deeper sense of discontent that plagues us all – the desire to love and be loved.
Desire, in and of itself, is not inherently wrong. It is natural for human beings to want happiness, love, and good health. These are reasonable and healthy longings, intrinsic to our nature. Even the Buddhist philosophy, which emphasizes detachment from craving, does not necessarily argue that all desire is bad. It is when desire becomes insatiable – when it takes the form of ambition for power, the obsession with wealth, or the pursuit of fleeting pleasure – that it begins to control us. Like a fire left unattended, unbridled desire consumes everything in its path: our relationships, our integrity, and ultimately, our sense of purpose.
In our desperate attempt to satiate these endless cravings, we fill our lives with distractions and meaningless pursuits. And before long, we find ourselves living for things that, in the grand scheme of existence, are nothing more than bullshit.
The reason most of life’s ambitions feel so hollow is that they are built on the false premise that fulfillment can be found outside of the one foundational truth of existence: love and compassion.
We live in a culture that rewards greed, glorifies fame, and prizes consumption, but these things are fleeting at best. Every religion, in its purest form, has sought to awaken us from this illusion, calling us to a higher truth: to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. This is the only truth that endures. Love is the compass that guides us back to our essence; compassion is the practice that reconnects us to each other and to what is real.
In the end, love is the only thing that holds any promise. It transcends the superficial achievements that dominate our thoughts and the petty desires that drive our actions. Love does not demand trophies or recognition; it simply asks that we show up – fully, sincerely, and without expectation. Compassion, too, teaches us that we are not separate from one another, that the joy or suffering of another person is our own. It is in love and compassion that we find truth, not in the accumulation of things or the pursuit of wealth and status.
The problem lies not in our natural human desires, but in our failure to distinguish between desires that nourish the soul and those that lead us astray. When we allow desire to run unchecked, we become enslaved to the illusions that power will bring peace, or that indulgence will bring happiness. But true freedom is found not in satisfying every whim, but in learning to let go of the desires that do not serve truth. It is in choosing love over selfish ambition, compassion over indifference, and simplicity over excess that we find the clarity to live authentically.
To say that everything besides love and compassion is bullshit might sound harsh, but it is a harsh truth that few are willing to confront. We invest our energy in pursuits that will not matter in the end – pursuits that will crumble with the passing of time. What will endure, however, is the love we gave and the compassion we practiced. These are the only things that leave a lasting mark, the only things that connect us to something greater than ourselves.
Love is the antidote to the chaos that unbridled desire creates, and compassion is the path that brings us back to what is real. Everything else, as hard as it may be to admit, is bullshit. And the sooner we recognize this, the sooner we can begin to live in a way that truly matters.
Matthew 22:37-40: Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
So, if you look honestly at your life, how much of your time is spent embroiled in pure bullshit? How much of your time is actually spent immersed in love and compassion? It’s time for a reality check about how we think, live, govern, treat others, and treat ourselves. We’ve been caught up in the lies of competition, greed, jealously, hatred, etc. for far too long. Are you tired yet? The truth is plain to see, just open your eyes and start looking.
Join us in making the world a better place. You’ll be glad that you did. Cheers friends.