Would you rather have a happy life or an important one?

[DuesToTheDirt]

By an important life, I mean important to people who don't know you - a famous writer, or a scientist, or maybe someone who founds a charity?

I was watching Sylvia (Plath) last night on Amazon, and she was obviously desperately unhappy and then committed suicide; but she left a legacy of her work.

I am happy, but I am a nobody, and I was wondering whether, if I couldn't have both, I would trade happiness for achievement.

I can't decide. What about you?

That's the point though really isn't it? Are we happy we have nothing better to do than potter about on Mumsnet or does that bother us somehow? For me it's a bit of both. Ultimately I've put "happiness" ahead of striving to maximise whatever potential I might have, but sometimes I wonder if that was the right choice, and whether my life might feel more satisfying if I upped my game a bit in terms of "great works". I'm not always happy either, but I don't necessarily see that as a massive failing of life. Feeling loss, despair, pain, anger all of that is just part of being human really.

Happy. I hate the idea of being important or famous. I know celebrities/famous people make a lot of money, but constantly being papped and having your life dissected by everyone and their dog would absolutely crush my MH and ruin my life I think. A happy nobody is the life for me!