the will to live ('aphoristic' notes)

[Petals]

'wanting to live' is not the same as the 'will to live'. I 'want to live' but I do not have the 'will to live'. without the 'will to live' nothing can truly be done.
•••
'wanting to live' is there because there is 'not wanting to die'.
but the 'will to live' includes the 'will (i.e. willingness) to die'. 
//
he who 'wants to live' does not have life but wants it. but he who has the 'will to live' has life because he chooses life.
//
he who 'wants to live' is (/feels himself to be) at the mercy of death and therefore also at the mercy of life.
but he who has the 'will to live' chooses life and therefore also chooses death (i.e. is ready to die whenever and however it may come).
•••
having the 'will to live' you have everything. without it, you have really nothing (but fear).
•••
if you have the 'will to live' you cannot 'lose'. you choose life and therefore also choose death instead of being a victim to both.
•••
this 'will to live', this choice, is the foundation of life. without it, one is not truly alive.

 

inspired by 'Finite and Infinite Games' by James P. Carse.

I made that distinction between 'wanting to live' and 'will to live' up, but I didn't know how else to put the feeling that I had into words. I hope that some of you could see what I wanted to point to and benefit from it.?

feel free to comment.

Edited January 27, 2020 by Petals

[Petals]

this is a great addition: