A-Z Simple Living: L = Living vs Existing

I decided today to write about the second word in my theme - Living. Simple Living is certainly a way of life, and a different way of looking at things...but what exactly is Living?

For a long time, even though I should have been happy about my life, I was just just existing, just here, not really in control of my happiness. The stress, and the 'maybe it's karma and my life is not meant to be perfect' thoughts compounded after every flood. Where was that perfect life we sought? Where was the beautiful home, and the happy blended family we dreamed of? Why is this happening to us? What can we possibly do about it?

When your thoughts take these kind of paths, it affects how you are living...and your enthusiasm for it. When you can't see the shining light at the end of the tunnel, your world becomes dim and dull, and you realise you are just going from day to day, without a future. In a nutshell, you are only existing rather than living. I was fortunate to have found my 'thing', and my enthusiasm for my property and my life has returned...and with it my happiness.

So, have a think about it...are you just existing or are you truly living? Do you focus on photos like the first one above, or do you choose to see the second one? I am seeing the second one more often now :)

I thought I would share these quotes with you. They express the notion of living versus existing...and offer great food for thought. I hope you find them as inspiring as I do:

“When you are just EXISTING, life happens to you… and you manage; when you are truly LIVING, you happen to life… and you lead.”
― Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience

“All what is existing already existed. We are together for a while pondering in agile world.”
― Santosh Kalwar

“Existing is going through the motions of life with no zeal and feeling you have no control; living means embracing all that this large world has to offer and not being afraid to take chances. The beauty of living is knowing you can always start over and there's always a chance for something better.”
― J'son M. Lee

“There's a difference between living and just surviving. Do something you love, and find someone to love who loves that you love what you do.
It is really that simple.
And that hard.”
― John Connolly, The Infernals

“Living is more than just existing. When you are living you feel emotions that you may not be able to decipher. You commit mistakes and learn from them and you will be carved in people’s hearts and souls with love and happiness so when you are gone you may not be able to exist anymore but you will still be living inside people’s heart and souls and your memory will forever be cherished by them.”
― Perky Peppermint

“Are you happy? It doesn’t matter! Are you unhappy? It doesn’t matter! What matters is whether you exist or not! Are you laughing? It doesn’t matter! Are you crying? It doesn’t matter! What matters is whether you exist or not!”
― Mehmet Murat ildan

“Basically, being alive means keeping yourself ready for the sky to fall in on you at any time. If you start from the assumption that existence is only an ordeal, a test we have to pass, then you’re equipped to deal with its sorrows and its surprises. If you persist in expecting it to give you something it can’t give, that just proves that you haven’t understood anything. Take things as they come; don’t turn them into a drama. You’re not piloting the ship, you’re following the course of your destiny.”
― Yasmina Khadra, Swallows of Kabul