Illusions of Security

  I have been reflecting recently on the trade wars and looming possibility of recession. I have realized how mistaken to think that one could retire early or even rely on my present employment to protect me from the possible crisis ahead.  Many people will lose jobs, and I have even been thinking, there is not much difference between myself and someone who is unemployed or homeless. Is there anything that I can rely on for a source of security? I don't think such a thing as security really exists in a true way; it's only fleeting and illusory.

    People who delve with the stock market are kind of playing mental games. They think they know how to bank their money to maximize returns, but it's really a gamble that is dependent on a great many things. There is never any guarantee in life that people will gain in the long term, and I think it's silly that I would imagine myself retiring or even deriving a sense of security from the number of years I have worked, let alone the money in the bank. 

     And then I thought, since this over-reliance on external forces is quite foolish, I must turn inward to find a sense of ontological security, or security simply in being present, or being in the moment. If I am ever going to be homeless, I should at least be a joyful homeless person--leaving behind my sense of failure and regret, to face the wind and rain with a sense of peace in the present. Even if I am starving, I should also enjoy the sensation of hunger rather than being afraid of it. And in that sense, I will find a deeper sense of security as opposed to these illusory dog-chasing-tail stock markets.

  The idea of being able to rest from work is probably not a good idea to adopt. We should always expect to work until our dying day, and at least look for work. After all, work is our contribution to society. If we don't contribute our value to society, then we are simply waiting for ground zero, and this is not true peace or happiness.

    I have given up the hope of retirement. I will struggle and work until I die. I vow to at least be cheerful and take life one moment at a time, not worrying about the future. After all, the idea of ever being financially secure is essentially crazy since all of money is tied to others, and what happens to the world will happen to us in turn. We are only really riding the waves, and so we should never put hope and trust in them.

   To try to hope and desire an "easier" life is really only to invite suffering. There is simply no easy life, so the best way is to have an attitude that I will die working or die trying to look for meaningful work.