One of the most spectacular things in life that I was able to experience before the birth of my son was helping people in the Philippines during dire times of need. Surgeries are only $400 to $500 USD here, so we were able to help family members twice who might not be in good health now if we didn't assist.

That (and other things) really cleared my conscious and made me feel like I was helping other people besides just myself, but it was after that (along with other things) that I realized over time that nothing in this physical world can permanantly satify a human being. Not money, not marriage, not family, not food, and not even living a selfless life of devoting yourself towards others - and that is because nothing lasts.

Once the experience is reached, and the dream is achieved, there will always be a 'disappointment factor' since the experience ends: Children eventually grow up and live their own life, our bodies will die, the importance of our moral acheivements will fade in time, and so on. Everything that can be experienced is transient, and believing that anything permanent (i.e. permanent happiness) can be attained in a physical universe where everything is changing (i.e. being born & dying) is like building our house on the sand - this idea was taught by Christ & the founder of Buddhism but in different ways.

It is still worth it to strive in this life, and it is still good to have goals, but it's appropriate to know that our dreams, goals and desires will never satisify us permanently, and that even the noble and 'selfless goals' we have cannot give us permanent happiness. I believe that seeing things from this perspective gives us The Right Expectation in life.

P.S. Some of the unhappiness in this world is born from people seeking permanent happiness in a world where nothing is permanent.

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