The root of many problems in ones' life is hidden in this word ...

Addiction.

But have you ever paused to consider, what really is Addiction?

I am not implying the word Addiction.

Or its meaning.

Because "meaning" is one of those words that look and sound "deep" but when explored to its extremes has nothing to offer mankind.

Because any and all intellect, in the end, is just stimulation.

Of the mind.

Because I am rarely moved by anything that does not make me feel it in the viscera.

I am only moved by Truth

And as such I must start at the very root.

When you were a child, life "worked" splendidly, for everything was "new" and the moment was a game to be played.

The moment felt like a playground.

The moment was always there to be enamored of, so much so, that words like "emptiness" did not even exist in your vocabulary.

After all, a child's mind is a fresh slate and knows no such thing as emptiness.

As time passed by, the mind matured.

It started to do what it does best ...

It started to paint a different reality before the eyes.

The eyes no longer saw the moment for what it was as the mind added-in its projections.

The ears no longer hear the real story as the mind added its own, twisted, commentary.

The fingertips and skin contacts no longer felt what was to be felt as the mind moved them to the background.

As these things happened subtly behind the scenes and that, which in reality was always new, became something else.

As you go by your day, you do not see, hear or feel anymore.

You do not, for a single second, experience.

You experience what your mind wants you to experience.

(And the mind always morphs, dumbs-down, summarizes, and hides the nuances.)

You live the "same" day, mingle with the "same" people, do the "same" things and visit "same" places.

Such becomes the existence of all human beings after a certain point in their lives.

Such an existence is a vicious cycle between feeling two emotions ...

Trapped or Empty ...

When you are doing, you feel trapped (doing the same things).

When you are not doing, you feel empty (having nothing to do).

Actually, it is not that you feel emptiness, it is that you get used to not being empty

You are failing to see that even when "having nothing to do", you are trapped to have to feel that way.

When one's days become such an imprisoning experience, they, almost without fail, seek an escape or a high.

(This is where the seeds of Addiction are planted)

This escape ranges from anything like "trying out something new" to vices and substance abuse.

It does not matter which path they take, the end result is always Addiction!

The only difference between the two extremes is the impact it has on their lives in the short and long term.

I do not need to write anything else other than this line to express the graveness of addiction to vices and/or substances.

But what about the other "addiction"?

Well, if they take the first path, it is because their mind tells them it is the "right" thing to do.

And as they try out a new activity, the novelty keeps them afloat for a while.

After the mind "does its thing" and the activity becomes a chore,

they either hop on to the next thing to try out or begin to seek an escape/high within the activity.

But either way, any activity they keep coming back to, would not be for the activity itself but to seek an escape.

How is this not Addiction?

Yes, what makes mankind tick today is "Addiction".

One's entire life is based around chasing this and that.

Doing this to get that, or avoiding this to avoid that.

Signing up for this, registering for that, giving this a shot, going for that ... this is the endless hopping one does for most of their life...

Baring a handful, every single one of them is addicted.

Addicted to the chase. Addicted to not settle.

Before you ask "How did the handful not get addicted?"

I'll ask you this ...

Are you sincere enough to admit your Addiction?

Thank you.