Life

"Ivan Ilych's life had been most simple and most ordinary and therefore most terrible."

Ivan's life was so normal that it lacked the excitement of being spontaneous. He simply did what he thought would look good to other people and didn't pay much attention to what he really wanted or believed. He does say that his marriage gave him personal satisfaction, but he also says that " it was considered the right thing by the most highly placed of his associates." He bases his decisions on what other people think when he should decide for himself who he wants to be in life.

I think this can also relate to the Christian life. Sure, we can live a "good," comfortable life, but when we get to the end and look back on our time here, what have we really done with the time we have been given? We aren't here to please other people and to fit into what they want us to be. We are here to stand out and to be what God has made us to be, which is the salt and light of the world.

PS- commented on "time swings on"