I said to myself, "Let's go for it—experiment with pleasure, have a good time!" But there was nothing to it, nothing but smoke. Eccesiastes 2:1 (MSG)

My college age daughter left this past Saturday. She's flying to the other side of the world where she is going to work with the poor and the handicapped and to share the love of Jesus. She has been faithfully raising funds, studying and praying in preparation for her trip. She wants to make a difference in the world. I'm proud of her.

She had a weekend at home before she left and she hooked up with all of her high school friends who were back home from their freshman year at college. It was then that it struck her how different her path was from theirs. She listened to them talk about their indulgences with pleasure and freedom. I imagine their attitude was much like Solomon's as he searched for meaning in life. She left feeling a bit sad and alienated, I think.

I see plenty of people still chasing after pleasure and hoping that, this time, it might fill the void in their hearts. I watch men and women climb the social ladder and accumulate the biggest, fastest, newest, best stuff. Yet, the emptiness remains in their eyes as you talk to them.

I don't want to live for that which is smoke and spitting into the wind.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickrand finessimo