“Full or Empty”

by Dr. Larry Morris

In Being and Nothingness, Jean-Paul Sartre describes the situation of a man who is rushing through a crowded restaurant looking for someone who isn't there. For this man, the restaurant is filled with nothingness. Sometimes we can be rushing through our life looking for what isn't there. It's as if nothing can really please us or make us happy—we may be trying so hard to get somewhere that we are missing the joy of the journey. We may need to just relax and take time to appreciate what is there in our lives already, instead of constantly seeking what hasn't yet happened. Our life right now may already be filled to the brim and overflowing with beauty and joy—all we need do is stop for a moment and take a good look.