What do you hope for in this life?

I recently wrote to a friend that I hoped the Buddha was right about rebirth.

I wished for rebirth so that I would have more lives to do the things which I am not able to do in just one life. For example, I would like to write a great book, and play guitar masterfully, and take award winning photographs. Each of these things I do now, but at such a low level of quality. In other words, I wished for future lives so that I could accomplish the great things that I know I will never do in this one.

However, the last item on my list of things to accomplish was to devote the entirety of my days to the study and experience of Buddhism. Of course, I realized that if this goal had been the first on my list, I would not have wished for anything else -- much less to have wished for rebirth.

It is through living the life of Awakening that leads to Nibbana.

The Dhammapada says that Nibbana is "the highest happiness". This happiness is an enduring, transcendental happiness integral to the calmness attained through Awakening, rather than the happiness derived from impermanent things.

Therefore, my efforts should move me into a direction of permanence (Nibbana), and away from the craving for things which will perish.