Six months ago I began a journey of practicing mindfulness every day and we've reached day 194. Yesterday, I talked about not letting our failures get the best of us and realizing that's just a part of life. Today's a new day.
Even now I think about how hard life can be and it makes me really sad. I sometimes a thought pops into my head and asks, "is it even worth it?" and I start contemplating my existence. Although I know that I'll end up hurting a lot of people through dying, the thought can't help but cross my mind every now and then like a huge obnoxious neon sign. However, I've already come this far. I can't let myself give up. Ever. And I this is true for everyone.
The journey of life has plenty of rocks in its path. When there are rocks in a stream, water does not fight them. Instead, water learns to adapt and flow past with the utmost persistence. Through every trial and tribulation water always perseveres. It succeeds in the end no matter what. Freeze it? It waits until it can melt. Heat it up? It boils and eventually evaporates, but never disappears completely. Drink it? It converts into energy for your body, but it doesn't disappear, it merely adapts to its surroundings.
In the same way, we must be like water and persevere no matter how hard times get. Life can suck hard sometimes and even when it feels like there's no point to living anymore I promise you that things will get better. The highs come with the lows, and the opposite is also true. Some say that it's funny how people start listening once you're dead, but it misses one key point: if we take time to look and notice our surroundings we can see how much people do care for us. That we're not as alone as we might think.
Our emotions can get the best of us at times so it's easy to forget this, but once we die there's no taking it back, so although while we may feel like we're at rock-bottom right now, there's always a new tomorrow, a chance for a new beginning, a new light to shine hope's rays down on us. You do matter, never forget that. You have a future, which means you still have a purpose to fulfill. What that is depends on you, but you can still create meaning in your life so long as you're here like the rest of us.
Coincidentally I'll be going to a Dir en grey concert on the 24th, which is one of my favorite bands, and their music is themed around the pain and suffering that many of us deal with. In a way this concert came at a good time because the band has helped me find consolation through their music. It helped me see the beauty in disparity and that helped me realize that no matter what happens, there's always a glimmer of light that can illuminate our lives. That there's always a reason for us to keep going on.
Although it's crazy how I might soon find myself in a situation where I'll actively be wondering when a missile will be headed my way, so long as I am alive I have things I still have to do and so it's my duty to do what I can each day to make life count. If not for me, it's for my students, their futures, and hopefully for the future of the generations to come.
Peace
"In the confrontation between the river and the rock, the river always wins...not by strength, but by perseverance." - Louis AgassizThis morning North Korea launched another missile over Hokkaido for the second time in two weeks. It made me think about depression and suicide. In times of war, shit gets real and it's easy to become sad. We all go through struggles in life and it's pretty common for us to have thoughts of death. Last night I was reminded about how I used to feel suicidal in middle school and high school. All of the hormones, uncertainty about my future, and feelings of loneliness (I had friends, but I often felt out of place) got to me and although I lived a pretty normal life I felt like there wasn't any point to anything. I often made myself numb from how much I was feeling that it became overbearing (as contrary as that sounds).
Even now I think about how hard life can be and it makes me really sad. I sometimes a thought pops into my head and asks, "is it even worth it?" and I start contemplating my existence. Although I know that I'll end up hurting a lot of people through dying, the thought can't help but cross my mind every now and then like a huge obnoxious neon sign. However, I've already come this far. I can't let myself give up. Ever. And I this is true for everyone.
The journey of life has plenty of rocks in its path. When there are rocks in a stream, water does not fight them. Instead, water learns to adapt and flow past with the utmost persistence. Through every trial and tribulation water always perseveres. It succeeds in the end no matter what. Freeze it? It waits until it can melt. Heat it up? It boils and eventually evaporates, but never disappears completely. Drink it? It converts into energy for your body, but it doesn't disappear, it merely adapts to its surroundings.
In the same way, we must be like water and persevere no matter how hard times get. Life can suck hard sometimes and even when it feels like there's no point to living anymore I promise you that things will get better. The highs come with the lows, and the opposite is also true. Some say that it's funny how people start listening once you're dead, but it misses one key point: if we take time to look and notice our surroundings we can see how much people do care for us. That we're not as alone as we might think.
Our emotions can get the best of us at times so it's easy to forget this, but once we die there's no taking it back, so although while we may feel like we're at rock-bottom right now, there's always a new tomorrow, a chance for a new beginning, a new light to shine hope's rays down on us. You do matter, never forget that. You have a future, which means you still have a purpose to fulfill. What that is depends on you, but you can still create meaning in your life so long as you're here like the rest of us.
Coincidentally I'll be going to a Dir en grey concert on the 24th, which is one of my favorite bands, and their music is themed around the pain and suffering that many of us deal with. In a way this concert came at a good time because the band has helped me find consolation through their music. It helped me see the beauty in disparity and that helped me realize that no matter what happens, there's always a glimmer of light that can illuminate our lives. That there's always a reason for us to keep going on.
Although it's crazy how I might soon find myself in a situation where I'll actively be wondering when a missile will be headed my way, so long as I am alive I have things I still have to do and so it's my duty to do what I can each day to make life count. If not for me, it's for my students, their futures, and hopefully for the future of the generations to come.
Peace
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| In our perseverance we create the hope we long for. There's always a tomorrow to look forward too. |
No matter what struggles we face, if we stick it out and keep going there's always something waiting for us to look forward to. Life always surprises us in the most unexpected ways, it's just a matter of time.
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