Of Mulligans and the Love of Wisdom

For most of us, as we continue to think
about who we are and the road that we have traveled, we find that there are both
regrets and celebrations; there is obedience and inconsistency along the road. We
find that we only partially live the philosophies by which we say we have
chosen to live. Our “love of wisdom” – the literal meaning of philosophy –
struggles with our philo-solatium – “love of comfort.” We sometimes wish we could
go back to the beginning and live it better a second time around. Perhaps this
is the reason why dreams of reincarnation are so prevalent. To borrow a term
from golf: we would all like a “mulligan.”

Even if we could go back with
greater wisdom, and a greater love for wisdom, we would still find ourselves
making choices at each turn of our lives and with each revolution of the earth.
How would we fair on the myriad of choices a second time around? I suggest that
this would not so much be an instance of living our lives over again, but
rather living someone else’s life. Each choice along the way would be a type of
birth from which there would be no return.[1]
Each choice would shape us and contribute to the person we would become. The
product of the series of choices would look very unlike the person we are
today. Going back is not an option.

“You mustn’t wish for another life. You
mustn’t want to be somebody else. What you must do is this:
“Rejoice evermore.
Pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks.”
I am not all the way capable of so much, but those are the right instructions.”[2]

I will start again today. This “love of
wisdom,” this “philosophy of life,” can guide me even when I am “not all the
way capable of so much” for “those are the right instructions.” Even if you are
not so convinced that those are the right instructions, you might try the
path and see where it will lead. We can walk it together.