Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans

The title comes from John Lennon’s song ‘Beautiful Boy’. He was, and still is, one of my heroes and possibly my favourite singer. Tragically, he was murdered on December 8, 1980, in New York City by Mark Chapman.
I still remember that awful day, and I reflect not only on the man who pulled the trigger but also on the environment in which it took place. America’s ready availability of firearms and its culture of individual success are part of the problem.
Many Americans themselves have long argued for tighter gun controls, but their voices are often ignored. John Lennon’s assassination remains a reminder of some of the problems within American society.
He was only 40 when he died, just beginning to grasp life more fully and to understand that material possessions do not bring lasting contentment. His death also makes me think about the so-called 'American Dream,’ which can sometimes appear less like a dream and more like an endless pursuit of wealth and status.
In the West, multi-million dollar homes and designer labels such as Versace and Gucci are often presented as signs that someone has 'made it’. But made it to where? Even those who achieve great financial success often find that it doesn’t answer the deeper questions of life.
This is not only a comment on America, but a lesson for younger generations everywhere, including Oman.
A life spent chasing money and possessions is unlikely to bring lasting happiness. Life passes quickly. When we are young, time feels eternal. As the years go by, however, we are surprised by how swiftly the years have passed.
In my later life, I often look back and wonder whether I spent too much of my youth pursuing the wrong goals. With age and experience, many realise that wealth and recognition are far less important than they once seemed. We are given enough years; the issue is not the length of life but how we use it. As the Roman philosopher Seneca once wrote, “It is not that we have so little time but that we waste so much. The life we receive is not short, but we make it so. We have enough time, but use what we have wastefully.”
There is nothing wrong with becoming wealthy, living in a fine house, or owning a luxury car. The mistake lies in believing that these things guarantee happiness. In Oman, I often see luxurious cars and I admire them. I even compliment people on them. But, I also recognise the value of not wanting them. That feeling can be as satisfying as ownership itself.
The same applies to many material things. I have visited homes that felt like small palaces, with crystal chandeliers, expensive furniture and unusually large televisions. Many years ago, while dining in the palace of the Sultan of Brunei with one of my former students, the Sultan’s nephew, I admired the beauty and luxury around me. I was pleased that the Sultan and his family could enjoy such things, but I did not envy them, nor did I desire any of it for myself.
Money itself is not the problem. It is the endless pursuit of more, often driven by comparison and dissatisfaction, that can leave life feeling permanently incomplete.
When that happens, the deeper sources of fulfilment — family relationships, kindness to others and personal growth — can easily be overlooked. Many people recognise this only later in life. I began with a line from one of my favourite singers, and I will end with one from another, Bob Marley, who said: “Money is numbers and numbers never end. If it takes money to be happy, your search for happiness will never end.”

Karim Easterbrook The writer is a Former Cambridge School Principal and Author