What is the What

There's a fascinating work by Dave Eggers titled What is the What.  While the story, itself is an amazing tale of resilience, persistence and incredible resourcefulness, it's also a powerful account of what seemingly results from the human will to always choose the "what."  What is the what, you ask?  I can best explain it as what is commonly referred to as "the road less traveled."  This is a sweeping generalization, but hold onto it for the purpose of clarity. 

I've recently experienced a series of events that have made me stop and re-evaluate where I am and what I'm doing in life.  This is not at all uncommon and even less so when one speaks of a twenty-about-to-be-thirty-something.  In any case, my recent reflections have reminded me of the experience found in the beginning of Eggers' book.  In very watered down terms, a legend in the protagonist's village holds that their God offered cattle or the What as a gift at the beginning of time.  Instead of taking the cattle--the sure thing, the concrete beginning--the villagers chose the What.  The What is not defined, has no certainty about it and lacks the centering affect that the former traits can offer.  One could even venture to say that the choice of the What leaves the villagers with future troubles and civil unrest. 

There is a trend in our world to be innovative and "self-made (wo)men."  But, this cultural phenomenon can leave us, at times, wondering what exactly it is we're chasing after.  So, whether through meditation, writing or otherwise, it seems a good idea to explore this concept put forth in Eggers' book on a regular basis.  Perhaps it's even a good way to begin each morning...after all, how do we put one foot after the other day in and day out without knowing, personally, what is our what?  Think about it (and then pick up Eggers' book!).