Contemplative Thread

Crash

I sit here now on the eve of my 18th birthday, roughly two hours and 45 minutes away, and am oddly contemplative.

Something richard said to me came back to me, asking what i had achieved in 18 years....what do i answer? well....i had the opportunity to leave abroad for many years...didnt really take advantage of that time, but hey, i was a kid. but now i think of the things that have had the largest effect on my over the past two or three years....my friends....the girl i love....the death of a close friend. and i think how all these things have shaped my life and the course of others around me.

So now i go onto things I've achieved, rather than things i've experienced. Well, not much here frankly. Learnt to play the guitar. Read a hell of a lot. Tried to understand people. Fallen in love (twice) with the same person. Been in the same relationship for over a year and six months. And i think...i might not have achieved anything all that noticeable. But i think i achieved a lot

so what have you guys achieved in life? Its a real humdinger of a question but an interesting one to boot

Neil

Plasticman

I also had my 18th recently. In hindsight, I have done nothing with my life. At all. Played a couple of gigs on stage, but nothing special. Makes me feel a bit lazy. i'd do something about it, but as I've said, lazy...

edibility

This is my first post ever, mainly because its the only thing I've ever felt was worth posting on. I can't say I've lived to be the grand age of eighteen as of yet neil , but I kinda feel I've achieved one or two things that I'd class as important. I've helped some people, in different ways, with different things, all of which I'd class as the most important achievements of my life. I'm sure everyone can say this, that they've helped someone in some small way. I've learnt karate, and become relatively good at it . And I've made great friends, (and at least think) I've fallen in love with one of them, deeply in love in fact, all because of ctyi. And love all the rest almost as much :P

So although they're not major, yeah, I'd say I've done a bit

Sarah

Liquorice

Hmm...

Not yet anywhere near 18, but I suppose in my (almost) fifteen years I should have achieved something. There are a few things, I've learned to play the piano and violin, I've read a good bit (although, of course, I'd like to read much more). I've conducted research into many things that interest me. I've learned to speak fluently in this country's mother tongue. I've spent 11 years doing ballet and achieved a dream of mine from when i was but four years old-to dance en pointe.
There are plenty of things I'm in the process of achieving, deeper, personal things that need a lot of time(five and a half years have already elapsed in the case of some of these things). There are some people I've helped, I suppose, but they've helped me much, much more. One of my best friends has spent the last year or so helping me through the same things, and I will always be grateful for her patience.
One thing I really want to achieve is to(forgive me for sounding clichéd, I'm even disgusted at myself)figure out the point of why I'm here, to figure out who I am. I think I could achieve a lot more, if only I'd stop lurking around the corners, always standing back, if only I'd stop being so paranoid about petty things. Again, this is just something that will take time.

mentalimplosion

i've learnt to worry.


and i've written an awful lot. i've made some clothers, and a lot of 'art'-teenage, prententious crap. i've somehow got the best friends. i've made mistakes, but i've learnt from every last one of them. i've listened to a lot of advice given to me, and i've ignored a good bit of it. i've spent so many years dreaming of what i'm going to accomplish that i haven't accomplished quite as much as i'd like to. i've-and now this sounds stupid, but-kind learnt who i am and what it is that i want to acheive from all that dreaming and i dunno, but i'm proud of that.

but i've forgotten. about lots of things and people and i hate that.

Barry Aldwell

In my 17-and-a-bit years on this planet, I haven't achieved much of note. I've made friends, and somehow inadvertantly systematically alienated the vast majority of them. I am not artistic, and would leave little trace of my existance were I to die tomorrow. I am currently in the process of doing something which I consider noble, though few of those I care about feel the same way about it. I say this not to obtain pity, but to offer you a benchmark. You're all very lucky, and don't think otherwise.

Zukustious

Well I have done nowt with my life so far. I've just done all the regular stuff y'know? Made some friends and grown up a bit. I guess you could consider me a waster, but even though I haven't done much in these 17 and a bit years, I have found out what I wanna do with my life. The kind of career I want and stuff. It's like I found my calling in life and I'm only 17 so I got that going for me. For anyone interested I want a career in phyiscs. So y'see, even though I haven't done much, I'm sure that I'll do a lot in the future.

So far I've had a good time. I'm pretty happy at the moment so that's pretty good. But there's a lot I want to do. I feel like my whole life's ahead of me at the moment. This might sound odd, but I feel like these past years have been more of a preperation for life. I'm gonna be living it soon. It's like the path hasn't even started yet. God that sounds corny. And if I die in the next five years I'm gonna be SO pissed off.

[edit]I just realised something I did with my life that I'm very glad I did. Yesterday, as I was walking home with a friend of mine, we came across this bunch of bananas lying in the road. It seemed like someone had completely wasted the bananas. Sure they were a little muddy and in the street, but they had the protective skins around them. So then a thought came into my head "Do you really wanna live your whole life without eating a banana from the street?" And I said to myself, "Hell no!". So I ate one of the bananas and it was damn good. It didn't just taste of banana, it tasted of victory.[/edit]

purplepolkadot

in the last sixteen years, ten months, and fourteen days i have both spread, and felt, the love.
that is all.

Cait

Happy Birthday Neil!! I can't say i've done a whole lot... but then again i did get to see india this year... which was a pretty major achievement. And since i've left home i definitely feel like i've a much bigger hold on my life, and it's all going the way i want it to.

SOL

Well I am 19 and have done nothing but to me it seems like a whole lot :dunno:

Crash

W00t. its now my birthday. i am now 18 /me does a dance

Zukustious

Happy Birthday Neil! WOOOOOOOOO!

yellum

Well done jailbait ! Wait til you turn 27 and examine what you've done with your life. Then the heartache begins.

tibilt

i'm alive.

nosmo

I've conquered all insecurities about my physical self. Which is a very good thing in my book. I've fallen in love properly. I've fallen out of said. I've discovered a broad range of music. I've become extremely close to a few people.

However, reflecting, it doesn't seem like much. **** it. :P

strawberry

Happy birthday Neil!

What have I done in nineteen years of life ... I've lived and loved. I've made people happy, I've made people sad, I've made people angry and I've calmed frayed nerves.
I've been so delighted that I almost floated away to join the clouds, and I've been so heart-broken I lost all thought in emotion ...

And other than that, sometime I give a homeless guy some change.

ll=llannah

first and foremost, happy birthday neil.

i've learned that not everything makes sense or needs to. i have friends who i love so deeply it hurts. i've learned that life (in my opinion) doesn't really have a greater meaning, but that's all the more reason to find things which you are passionate about. i'm interested in so many different things it's criminal and if i were the only person left on the earth, i'd spend years and years as a happy wandering existentialist hermit.
i'd say more, but having secrets is an integral part of being and one must not divulge all of them. especially on message boards. that is all.

article6

What have I done?

I've survived life-threatening illness.
I've learned enough to get by in a number of languages (including Russian, Latin, Portuguese and JavaScript 2).
I've made friends across the social strata.
I have learned web design, for when I finally have something about which to design a website.
I solved an Irish Times Cryptic Crossword, all on my lonesome.
I've learned to tolerate imperfection, especially within myself.
I have written. I have read philosophy. I have argued politics with friends and enemies.
I became a cultural polyglot on my year off from education, reading about diplomacy, international finance and WWII bombers, often withing the same week.

That's about it. Nothing to enter the history books, but hey. I'll do that tomorrow.

smiles

What have I done? Age 19.

I guess I've grown from being weird to being normal, from being different to being somehow the same.
I've felt lost and when I found what I wanted I threw it away again.
I've learned things that I never want to forget, and I've managed to lose sight of their importance as time changes.
I don't get on with most people.
I've learned that I can teach complicated things in simple ways.
I've been afraid to act or to debate, although I would love to, simply because I fear rejection and failure.
I strive to be the best and I always fail.
I've hurt people irreconcilable.
I haven't quite managed to learn guitar.
I've been elected auditor (as of 4 days ago) of a society of 658 people and I've acknowledged that this terrifies me.
I've lied to more people than I care to remember.
I've made friends who mean everything to me.
I've made bad choices.
I've kissed strangers.
I've broken promises to myself.
I've found out the hard way that the person I can trust the most is my oldest friend.
I've made good choices.
I've neglected friendships and fostered hate.
I haven't travelled.
I've achieved better marks in most exams than most of my friends ever will and I'm still not happy with myself.
I can write php.
I've read bad books in the same genre always.
I will never be able to write anything as meaningful as my sister.
I've loved my family unequivocally.
I taught my niece how to count in her head.
I've lost an amazing friend.
I've been in love.
I've hoarded things that have practially no meaning execpt to me.
I've kept a random diary for years.
I've made people laugh.
I've tried and succeeded.
I've tried and failed.



It's mostly things that everyone has done.

<< Fio >>

freakydeadgirl

in my 16 years and a few months i've done nothing worth rambleing about.
basicly i wake-up every day, stareing up at the celling, and think to my self 'f*ck the sun rose today' and then depending on if i have school or not, i roll out of bed and go off to school or i roll over and pull the sheet over my head til noon.
really all i'm doing is counting down the days til i'm on my own away from my family
mabey when i'm older i'll do something worth while

gigglingrat

I've learnt to read, write and speak fluent english, which is something many Irish people fail to do...
I realised that the Universe probably wasn't created just so I could be born.
I faced my fears and squashed the stupid wasp.
I gave out in mac donalds about the crapiness of the milkshakes. I like to feel maybe I changed something there. My fight against evil corporations began.
But the only thing I'm really proud of is doing Irish debating. Which I will NEVER repeat, but I did it once and that felt great. In hindsight.

Dalamar

What have I done?

I've made some effects/changes in people's lives. nothing more. Some have been big-ish, others much smaller. Other's I will never know the true extent of my presence and meddling in other's lives.

Georgiana

Hi there Neil and Happy Birthday

I am old enough to be your mother. You will probably think I am a nutty "auld one" but for what its worth I'd like to share my idea of achievement in life. I have had a lot of ups and downs and tried to learn all along the way and focus on what is really meaningful rather than just on what is pleasurable or earning money etc. Each day I repeat the following meditation in the morning and if I remember and achieve it each day - then my life will have achieved something useful, in my view-Basically it says- look after yourself properly, value everyone, behave and work with maturity and integrity and value the environment. It took me many years for me to cop on to these ideas in a real way rather than just knowing them theoretically and I consider that an achievement. Also if you always remember and believe that "all is well" you will have achieved something quite difficult to do in elevating yourself beyond the mundane problems of life! The phrase "all is well" is from Julien of Norwich.

Good luck and do value and use the wonderful gift of youth.

My Morning Meditation:

Today we welcome and appreciate the new day knowing that all is well
Today we care for ourselves
-by breathing deeply
-by moving and exercising our bodies
-by our consumption of food and drink
-by our approach to work and activities
-by using our time and putting first things first
-by taking time to rest and relax
-by seeking support when needed

Today we notice and value everyone we meet
Today we are mature and generous in our response to people and situations
Today we work to get the best outcomes for all
Today we notice and care for our environment
Today we remain calm and generous in the face of frustration, negative states and situations
Today we go about our day knowing that all is well

lordsippa

Me? I've acheived nothing but in a way that's what I feel so proud about. I've taken a year of doing nothing and managed to avoid severe depression and boredom... somehow this year seems to have been the busiest in a long time...

I've gone to america and travelled around san francisco with complete strangers looking for weed, and taken a ride on the cable cars with them. I've thrown up in a supermarket carpark from a caffeine overdose. I talked to MANY aged hipsters who seem to consider me one of their own <which always makes me happy>.

I've bought so much music it hurts, and have discovered through chance many bands that have shaped my musical tastes. I have found a dream in rock, and the resolve to settle for very little less than acheiving that.

I've thought a lot. Thought about the nature of everything and had time and reflection to realise that all those questions don't matter (but are still interesting).

I've found that not everything must contribute to the good of all, and that pointless and meaningless statements (such as art, if you're being entirely honest) are by far the most worthy callings in the world.

Most of all though, I've discovered that it's not what you know, but who you know, and thank god I know some absolutely wonderful people and have tried, in my way, to help as many of them as I possibly can.

Peace and love to all of you. Keep safe.

And happy CHOCOLATE DAY! W00t!

purplepolkadot

i've also talked and thought a LOAD of crap.
and touched many people. physically like, not in any profound way.

imp

I can't think of anything I've done worth remembering

But I pissed someone off a couple of minutes ago

}:>

edibility

Ian!!! You have done great things. Even if one of them is hugging me which you're good at. *huggles ian* and if it was me you pissed off...sorry :S (may not have been though)


*offers sven chocolate*

Scarinae

Ian! You are wonderful at hugging, don't ever underestimate that, so many people put no effort or feeling into them!

I'm seventeen and two thirds (wow thats precise) and in that time:
I have overcome a life-threatening illness
I have overcome an eating disorder
I have lost two friends, to cancer and to old age
I have helped to prevent a suicide
I have built up an amazing group of friends who I love to pieces
I have fallen in love with an amazing guy, who loves me
I have successfully boycotted Nestle products for a year
I have won a scholarship
I have sued somebody (through my parents)
I have taught myself two new alphabets
I taught myself to read
I had a poem published in Poetry Ireland
I have been in a movie, a tv show and two plays (however, all of them were crap)
I have performed singing and piano in front of large amounts of people and been a candidate in two sets of mock elections, which I see as an achievement due to my shyness and general stage-fright
And I've written down every text anyone has sent me since 13th May 2000, hahaha

larry

Ailbhe.... shy?

taby

I've achieved nada pretty much.

I'm proud of that.

Well what i have achieved doesn't really merit mention no matter what Halenger says :-p

Of course meeting him and how wonderful he is an achievement for me but he'd prob ( better!) say same thing bout me.

*lol*

But what i will achieve is another matter...

beautiful kids
a sucessful career and inventing sum life saving drug
visting every back of beyond country where no one wants to go
meeting new people and seeing how much i have changed and how wonderful life can be.

:-)

Life is what you make it, so make it great. ( from sum ad :-) )

halenger

I do like the name of this thread... It's definately one that requires contemplation.

I don't know what I've achieved really. I guess I'll throw down a list in absolutely no sense of importance whatsoever.

Well I'm 20, 2 months and a day old (or there abouts ).
I've lived, loved, lost and loved.
I'm very happily in Love with my girlfriend of a year and 2 months (today ).
I'm studying where I've always wanted to study, since CTYI.
I'm studying what I've always wanted to study, Computer Applications.
I've successfully completed 6 grades on the Piano (but am still only Grade 3).
I've been on numerous committees of both Clubs and Societies. In fact Wednesday will be the first time I've not been on a committee in almost 3 years.
I've set up DCU Archery Club and lead them as Captain for 2 years.
I both personally won the individual part of the Dublin Derby (archery) and lead the team to victory too.
I've of course attended CTYI, 4 sessions, 3 years.
I've made a lot of friends though sadly lost touch with most. That saddens me more than most other things really.
I've gotten through losing all of my friends, moving school and making an entirely new set of friends.
I've helped my friends whenever they came to me. At least I'd like to think I did. Whether it was through illness, relationship problems, whatever. I hope they still find me as approachable as I've always tried to be.
I've surrounded myself with a ridiculous amount of material objects. Only lately have I stopped that money wastage, in general.
I have NEVER touched drugs and never will I.
I do not drink or smoke thankfully.
Whether people agree with my faith or not I still am a fairly devote Catholic but I'm always open to new ideas. My faith is my own, not anyone elses.
I have set up and currently run my own company. Still ironing out a lot of administrativia but I'm getting there.
I've made it throw my 3 years of college and I'll be a final year in October.
I've written a film, unfinished and have a book in my mind. If I ever finish them it will be a miracle.
I've published articles along with a good friend of mine in an astronomy magazine.
I've published other articles in our college magazine.
I've compiled and produced (with help) a very successful graduation booklet for those in my year when we graduated secondary school.
I've been on TV twice for archery a number of years ago, was on the radio on some Irish speaking program and appeared in an advertisement or two as a child.
I've visited about 13 countries on 3 continents so far in my life.
I've built 2 computers and I'll be building another 2 next week.

I think that's enough from me. I could probably write more but I don't think you guys need/want to hear more.

orangerooster

First time posting on this board-interesting topic.So age 17 what have I done?

Fell in love and then fell suicidaly depressed.
Relied on a friend to help me through more things than i care to remember(god bless her)
Fell in love with her.(still waiting)
I lead a freedom force-The LNA.
I have mastered the acient art of war on an ancient mac system.
I've made people laugh and cry.
I've played games A LOT!
I've listened to music A LOT!
I've driven a golf buggy at high speed.
I've quit a few jobs.
I've made €5000 that i can keep tabs on.
I've owned 5 mobile phones since i was 13.

and

I DID MY WAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!*




*I'll get my coat.

taby

Warning long message!! ( Apologies in advance) :-)

I was thinking about this thread. Kinda ironic considering it’s called contemplative thread. :-p well I was just thinking and avoiding doing any work of course about something that I wanted to post about because to me I don’t think anyone should have to go through what I suffered needlessly through.

When I was around 14/15 I suddenly developed migraines. I don’t know why. Nothing changed from my point of view. I just assumed I was stressed so something or that it was a bad flu. My mum thought I was sick and helped me get better. Migraines are basically a headache but one that’s confined to one point in the head and is very very strong ( I’d describe it as a beating effect against the inside of your head with a mallet) and feelings of nausea and general sensitivity to light and wanting to sleep cos you feel so bad.

I suffered through this for 4 years pretty much. At stages I would have them at least twice a week and I never knew when they would happen so I could be out when I’d feel so horrible and have to go home. I used to cry because I wondered why I had these and why I was in such pain. My mum thought I was nuts and used t be mad because id’ get sick so much (I hate getting sick!!!). My friends thought I was nuts. Eventually I arranged a blood test because I got so sick of it. I was at this point in college!! The leaving Cert was hell but that’s another story. I ended up in the states and I got a migraine and my sister looked at me and told me I couldn’t live like that for the rest of my life and that I had to do something. I was leaving in fear. So I decided to change my diet. I figured if I cut out stuff I ate and ate other stuff it might help me figure out what caused it. I figured out I had a very low tolerance to sugar. I get a lot of energy but than essentially burn out after a while and get migraine. So I cut out everything with sugar (or more than 12grams anyway) and now I don’t eat sugar at all except on rare occasions and even than only at night. It’s hard to have to monitor your diet so much and I have a much newfound respect for those who have allergies to certain foods.

I wanted to post this because I think my major achievement was beating this and doing so without any doctor or anything. I went to see a doctor and she was amazed that I had done this without pills or medication. I think that you can achieve anything because I honestly didn’t ever think I would be free of the pain I suffered but you really can’t live you life in fear.

Thank you to Podge for believing I was in pain and for helping so much even though you were helpless to stop the pain.

That’s my biggest achievement. I don’t think I could ever overcome something so bad again and I know that no matter what I can’t be afraid to fight something.

Migraines are not understood and I’d beg anyone who has them to go see a doctor and see if their diet is the cause. It’s better than living with them.

Sorry for the long thread……..

alaskagirl

hmmm 17 years and some...
ive been to ctyi!
i too have kissed strangers
i can make people smile just by smiling at them
i've danced for many many people
i've traveled by myself
ive worked in the neonatal inensive care unit at my local hospital
im in a math club (which is a feat for me, as math is not my best subject)
ive learned some french
ive had a sweet fling
ive written poetry and short stories of my own accord and not as an assignment
ive made friends with many people
ive sutured
ive starred in a play
i can play the violin
i make people laugh
im good to my brother
my family loves me
i can bake
ive built a website
im not ashamed that im an irish step dancer
ive been remembered by people who i didnt think would remember me
i love myself, so i could go on forever, but i wont...

It wasn't me!

I've decided to dredge up this thread (please don't hate me) because I think it's a thread worth seeing again and becauseit's one I never got around to posting in because my computer was somewhat temperamental at the time.

In my fifteen years:
I've fallen in love,
Hit the rock bottom when she didn't feel the same way,
Beat that depression,
I've realised I'm not better than everyone else,
I've reformed my outlook on life after realising how immature and selfish I was,
I've done my best to cultivate my creative side,
I've decided I'm going to do good things for people with music,
I've tried to come to terms with who I am and that I'm not perfect.

Wow, seems like more than I thought it'd be. I just wanted to get all that out and see what it looked like.

pinkpimp

Well Happy birthday first.

Now, what have I achieved?
Satisfaction. I know it sounds arrogant, but its true. I think of this time last year and its amazing how different I was just twelve months ago. Ive set myself goals, and ignored them. In the last year though, I've become a believer in karma. So, I've wiped the proverbial slate clean. I don't hate people for no reason anymore. I don't alienate anyone, unless I'm given a spacific reason to do so. I try my best to avoid all violence towards others (although there have been a few slip ups). Anyway, the point is that I've never felt better. Without hate, there is no reason to feel anger or sadness, well, it's cut down anyway. Point is, try to cherish life as it is. You think you have the rest of your life to do things, but then your life erodes away. Also, you never know if that rest of your life is seventy years, or one day. So whatever you're doing, you've got to do it in the best possible way. For example, if I were to die tomorrow, I'd be perfectly satisfied with my life.

I see how cheezy i've been in this post so lets throw in some soundbites...
No regrets...Live life to the full...Never miss a genuine opportunity...two wrongs don't make a right...theres no I in team (there is a me though)...Obey your thirst...Gilette, the best a man can get...etc...

COCK

man ive never achieved anything.
Im only 14, i got a ****load of time to achieve, but achieving is really hard.
And in my view, doing something that makes you happy is an achievement, and everyone has their own turn-ons.

So in my view, do **** that makes you happy, and dont acknowledge the things that dont, cuz it will make you unhappy.


There is a flaw in this, because that means the entire male population of the world, and a chunk of females, would consider masturbation an achievement




(Ned Kelly was Irish)

COCK

I do have one real achievement about weed

I once lit my hair on fire while smoking on the side of a road in a bush. It was the funniest event of my life, and i was so high it makes it ten times better.

I had a black, smelly fringe for an entire night.

skanger666

After 16 years on this planet, what i have "achieved" is as follows.
Level 3 sailing
Trapped myself in a deadend relationship which lasted 8months before i ended it
International swimming galas at age 10 and under
Being the only person of my generation in my family that hasnt broken a bone yet (bendy bones :P)
well not much else really. Damn that's depressing.

nosmo

COCK wrote:

I do have one real achievement about weed

I once lit my hair on fire while smoking on the side of a road in a bush. It was the funniest event of my life, and i was so high it makes it ten times better.

I had a black, smelly fringe for an entire night.

You're so hardcore. I wanna hang with you and play twister

mentalimplosion

It wasn't me! wrote:

I've realised I'm not better than everyone else,
I've reformed my outlook on life after realising how immature and selfish I was,
I've tried to come to terms with who I am and that I'm not perfect.

see, for me,
i've realised i am better than everyone else
i've reformed my outlook on life after realising how immature and selfish everyone else is
and i've tried to come to terms with how great and amazing i am

sorry. i needed that. we all need an ego boost every once in a while

Scarinae

orangerooster wrote:

I've owned 5 mobile phones since i was 13

Ummm, I've had 14 phones since I was 12. Is that very unusual then?

larry wrote:

Ailbhe.... shy?

Yes, Ailbhe = Very shy, believe it or not

Sunstorm

I've done a lot of things that come with certs and medals and other assorted crap but what I've done in the last twelve months has been a lot more important. I've learned to make friends and to keep them. I've learned to go out, to have fun, to take chances, to go to other places and interact with other people. Simply put, I've come out of my shell. And I owe it all to CTYI.