#Unfulfilled Desires

Have you found anyone in your life with no unfulfilled desires? I have not. If you see someone who does, please let me know in the comments. We all know life has limits, and we must fulfill our desires during this limited lifespan. A complete lifespan has four phases: childhood, education, work, and post-retirement.

During every phase of our lifespan, we have desires. Few strong desires build up during educational and professional stages. During childhood, our parents fulfill our minimal desires. Later in our education, we find one or two strong desires. These aligned with our vision and dreams. For example, someone might want a higher education in a specific subject to build a career. In our careers, we often wish for progress and success. This includes a good salary and regular promotions. We also have personal dreams, like finding the right partner or owning a lovely home. Later in life, we seek stability and peace. One wants to have a stable passive income during this phase of life.

Are all our desires fulfilled, or are some left unfulfilled? Can anyone claim not to have any unfulfilled desires? Yes, you may find some people with no unfulfilled desires. Who are those people? Those people do not have much desire in their lives or may not have any desire. Most of us have desires, some fulfilled and others not.

We all know that we can fulfill our unfulfilled desires only during our lifetime. Some may be fulfilled, but others cannot be fulfilled once they are time-barred. Your effort can fulfill some desires, but it cannot fulfill others. Their fulfillment depends on someone else's wishes and efforts. For example, with one's effort and wish, one may become a spouse but not a parent-in-law. 

The question is how to deal with unfulfilled desires. Some desires have the potential for fulfillment, while others do not. For example, a person may have dreamed of working in medicine but become an engineer instead. It is too late to take medical courses and seek a career in the medical profession. Some specific desires become impossible after a lapse of time. You should accept that you cannot fulfill a time-barred desire. It is better not to repent for unfulfilled desires that have become time-barred. Focusing on desires that can be fulfilled is a better approach. A person who wants to write a book can start now, regardless of age.

We can't meet some desires with our own efforts. They rely on others to make them happen. Examples include a desire to become a parent-in-law or grandparent. It is better not to focus on desires that do not rely on your effort. It is better not to repent for unfulfilled desires, whether achievable or not. Act on it for its fulfillment instead of repenting if it is attainable. Don't expect your children to fulfill your own unachieved dreams. They have their own paths to follow. For example, a person desired to become a lawyer but could not. It is not advisable to expect their child to become a lawyer. Relying on others to fulfill your dreams can lead to unhappiness if they don't.

For a happy and peaceful post-retirement life, don’t dwell on unfulfilled desires. If they are achievable, take steps to fulfill them. Also, avoid having expectations from others (including your spouse and children).