For my birthday this year a friend gifted me Cafe at the Edge of the World by John Strelecky (amazon link). She actually gave me the German translation, which was fine with me. It was good timing, as I had a long plane trip ahead of me on December 24th, so I read it while I was on the plane.
The book is about a man who is a workaholic and is finally taking vacation for a week. On his way, he runs into a terrible traffic jam, so decides to turn around and try to find his way. This was before the days of smart phones and car navigation systems, so he gets lots. He eventually ends up at a cafe in the middle of nowhere. It seems like a normal diner, with one exception. In addition to listing the food and drinks on the menu, there are also three questions:
- Why are you here?
- Do you fear death?
- Are you fulfilled?
He spends the next eight hours talking about these questions with the waitress, the cook, and some of the other customers. There are a number of analogies, stories, and such along the way. I found it quite riveting. I feel like the book focused mostly on the first question, or at least I did when I was reading it. It is a book I could imagine myself reading multiple times. But maybe once is enough. The three questions have stuck with me over the last month or so, and I think they will continue to do so. The book did not give specific answers to the questions, but rather encouraged readers to discover the answers for themselves. It did give some examples though. One person might really be passionate about art, and devote their entire lives to creating, sharing, and fostering art. For another person, it might be being a great mother or father.
I am going to continue to ponder these questions for quite some time, but so far, I think that I have come to the conclusion that I am here to try to make the world a better place. When I first read the existential philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre when I was 18, it really changed my world view. Sartre reasons thusly: Let us assume there is no God. Consider a pencil. Someone created this pencil with a particular purpose in mind. But if there is no God, no creator, then what is the purpose of humans? Sartre’s answer is that we must define our own purpose. That comes with great freedom, but also great responsibility. Humans have done great things over the millennia, but also committed many atrocities. All of these actions help to define what it is to be human. If more people do more good things, then the definition of humans will improve. I have thought this way for nearly 30 years now, and I think it still rings true to me.
But how can I make the world a better place? There are many ways. Many of the ways I learned as a Boy Scout, things such as leaving a campsite cleaner than you found it. I still do that sort of thing, often carrying a trash bag with me when I go on a walk and picking up litter off the path. I don’t do it as often as I should. While there are many such small things, I think that one of the biggest ways I can make the world better is to be a good father. The world will be shaped by the next generation, and if I can do a good job raising my children, they can hopefully continue to make the world a better place. Parenting has been a huge part of my life for the last 16 years, and will be for at least another 5 or so. At that point, the kids will probably move out of the house, and a new phase of life will begin. I am trying to also prepare myself for that phase. My greatest passion has always been music, and I am fortunately able to spend considerable time playing drums again. I think that music also makes the world a better place. Hearing live music is exciting, and for many people, rejuvenating. For me, someone who often spends too much time worrying and thinking about all sorts of complex thoughts, listening to music is a time when I focus only on the moment, which is really great for me.
As I said, I think these questions will keep popping up in my head over the next few months, maybe even years. I don’t know that I will spend much time on the second question. I think I am afraid of death. If I weren’t, I would probably do dangerous things like jumping off cliffs, and would be dead by now. I think that daredevils who attempt to swim over Niagara Falls must not be afraid of death. That’s fine for them. I am. I think that when I am 80, I might no longer be afraid of death, having hopefully lived a long and fulfilling life. But I will need to think about that third question more, to ensure that I am fulfilled. That one I am currently less certain about. I frequently go about life day to day, ensuring that I meet my obligations, without thinking too much about whether I am fulfilled. I nearly died about a year and a half ago, and that has definitely shifted my perspective on life quite a bit. I am still processing, and may be for years to come. I am looking forward to pondering these questions some more while out hiking.