The Great Perhaps

A Great Perhaps

I recently read the book, Looking for Alaska, and I came across the “supposedly” last words of the poet Francois Rabelais: "I go to seek a Great Perhaps." The main character of the book, Miles, says this is his reason for going to a college away from home; he doesn't want to "wait until he dies to start seeking a Great Perhaps." Like Miles, I want to find a Great Perhaps, maybe finding who I am and what my life is meant to be.
The pursuit of this Great Perhaps is what thrills me the most. I guess in a way, we all need a sense of purpose. Without it, life would seem to be meaningless. A Great Perhaps isn’t a chance of luck or a state of mind. It’s when your life seems to be where it’s supposed to be. You could say that it’s contemptuousness.
Another way you could see as is a turning point in your life. Almost like reaching enlightenment. Taught in Buddhism, one can reach enlightenment my existing in the world as you were meant to. This means that you need to find your true self. What I’m saying is that once you find a Great Perhaps, you’ll find yourself in the process.
Going to college and finding a job would just be part of a meaningless routine. But my Great Perhaps would be to travel the world and to see the beauty in it. I want to feel complete by finding love, and seeking out a life changing adventure. I don’t want to be stuck in an office all my life. I want to go find a Great Perhaps that will change my life and myself, pushing me towards this surreal