Hello Mi Neighbour | Why following your heart isn’t enough

What are you doing presently? Yes, reading this article. But what are you doing at this juncture in your life? Doing something you would rather not be doing because of something you did — or did not do?

Not trying to confuse you.

So, Joyce* has been a household helper for the past 11½ years, even though her life’s ambition was to be a medical practitioner. Before the age of 18, she gave birth to three bouncing baby boys, after ‘bouncing around’ with three of her male friends, each of whom disappeared upon hearing of her pregnancy.

If you follow my reasoning, Joyce is now doing what she would rather not do simply because she did what she should not have done. The rest is history. Hopefully, she will be afforded an opportunity to live her dream later in life. Life has many twists and turns.

We are often told to ‘follow your heart’. Should we? Always? “Give your heart whatever it desires,” they say, because life is short. Mmmmm. Following that advice may not only make a short life even shorter, but could also result in a long life of misery.

What would Joyce say to young people today? Look before yuh leap:

• Consider the consequences of your pleasures;
• Weigh the odds before acting on the advice of friends, etc, or making critical, life-changing decisions.

Especially if you are young and inexperienced, do not follow those who say, “Just follow your heart.” It has got countless millions into serious trouble. The heart can be “deceitful and desperately wicked…. .” A deceitful and wicked heart leads individuals to prioritise self-interest and deception over truth. This often manifests in destructive behaviours: manipulation, habitual lying, creating division, and showing a lack of empathy or remorse for the harm caused — even destruction of life and property.

Have you ever witnessed the actions of people who, on the surface, appear to be puritans? Something to think about.

To ‘follow your heart’ means making decisions based on your deepest passions and intuition, rather than relying on logic or what society generally expects. It is about following your feelings or inner voice when making choices — choosing paths that excite you and make you feel fulfilled, even if they seem unconventional. It is about staying true to who you are and what you value most, regardless of others’ opinions.

While these are very important and should not be overlooked, they must be supported by knowledge, understanding and wisdom. A quick refresher: knowledge is gathering facts, understanding is comprehending their meaning, and wisdom is applying that insight practically to make the right decisions. Do the work! Far too many of us are living lives of regret because of decisions made on mere gut feelings.

Are we here for mere selfish enjoyment, or to contribute to the greater good of humanity? The secret to real enjoyment of life lies in contributing to the well-being of our world and in the praise of God Almighty, the Creator.

We miss the mark when we subscribe solely to the teachings of philosophers who posit that:

“Our primary goal is to enjoy the sensory, intellectual, and emotional pleasures of existence while avoiding pain”;

“Life’s purpose is achieved only by living virtuously, developing your highest potential, and contributing positively to your community”;

“You are entirely responsible for creating your own purpose through your daily choices, actions, and passions”;

“You should rebel against meaninglessness by living passionately, defiantly, and fully embracing the absurdity of existence.”

Any wonder why there are so many unhappy and unfulfilled people in our world?

So, having paused to share what is on my heart today, what am I really saying? We do not experience life’s true meaning by merely following our hearts, but by aligning our hearts with our Maker’s heart—the source of love, mercy and justice.

KINDLY HELP A NEIGHBOUR WITH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

Stove

Refrigerator

Bed

Food

Assistance with medication

Financial support to start a small business

To help, please call Silton Townsend at 876-649-9636 or 876-884-3866, or deposit to account #351044276 (NCB). Alternatively, send donations to Hello Neighbour, c/o 53 Half-Way Tree Road, Kingston 10; PayPal/credit card: email zicron22@yahoo.com.

Contact email: helloneighbour@yahoo.com.

Visit: helloneighbourja.blogspot.com.

Townsend exclusively manages the collections and distributions mentioned in this column and is neither an employee nor an agent of The Gleaner.