Many cultures have wrestled with the idea of desire down the ages, of maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain. It’s an odd thing to think of something like desire as melancholy. But the more I studied philosophy and life, the more I came to realize the sober, melancholy nature of desire. Some cultures have gone so far as to try and banish desire altogether, seeking a state of inner peace through lack of want or need.
Though this is a bit extreme, I think a healthy amount of melancholy in the area of our desires is a good thing. Without it, we invariably come to a state of crisis, usually around midlife, when we realize that we’ve found all the things we originally thought we wanted, and still are as unsatisfied as before we ever began. The melancholy of desire is the simple realization that most things we put our hope in in this world won’t ever really satisfy. The reason why it’s good and healthy to realize this is because it teaches us to reserve our hope for things that really do deserve it – our relationships, our families, the Lord God above.
It’s interesting to think about the things I desire, to think about whether they’re worthwhile or not. Why do I desire what I desire? Do I desire it because it’s good for me, or have I been told what I should want in life, and have blindly gone after it ever since? These are not easy to answer questions and they should not be taken lightly. Life is short, and far too often, we waste it on silly things that aren’t worth much more than an afterthought. Don’t waste your life on things that won’t satisfy. Take some time to think about why you want what you want, and whether it will bring you any satisfaction.
