Life: A Double-Edged Sword
Bil Keane rightly once said, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present.” Life is an unpredictable journey, for no one knows what tomorrow will bring. Intriguingly enough, it has no defined meaning. It is perceived and experienced differently by every single individual on this planet. Nevertheless, we must learn to embrace every moment of it. Each individual chooses their unique path that brings with it its profusion of hurdles and accomplishments.
On this tumultuous journey, there will be a time when the roads will be straight, flanked by blossoming wild daisies and purple irises as they sway back and forth in the direction of the wind, complimented ever so gracefully by the deep blue skies and bands of blue jays. Contrastingly, at times there will be twists and turns when the roads may seem winding, filled with a slew of potholes looking to slow you down, bringing you to a standstill, infusing a sense of hopelessness. In a nutshell, this is the concept of life. It can be mesmerizing, rewarding, and joyous at times whilst still being ruthless, unforgiving, and full of despair.
To begin with, for me, life is only just sixteen years old, yet its ‘modus operandi’ is there for everyone to see. There have been multiple instances in my life that have taught me to value the things that are most important to me. These thoughts have been further accentuated ever since the world was devastatingly hit by the pandemic. These times of despair have allowed me as an individual to reflect on the things that I value the most, even if the pandemic has not impacted me as egregiously as others. Even so, learning about the immense suffering of individuals during this time has often led me to question the meaning of life, pondering over its fragility and pricelessness.
On the contrary, while it is as crucial as ever to value our very existence on this planet, it is equally important to understand the actions we can take to treasure every moment of our lives. One of the key takeaways is to make the most of what we have as individuals regardless of the circumstances we may be in without having any underlying expectations. Personally, this has been one of the defining factors of my life growing up. I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t a ‘materialist’ throughout the formative years of my life, for I was an individual who bothered too much about materialistic items and worldly possessions.
Growing up, I have gradually realized how life has so much more to it than just materialistic belongings that mean absolutely nothing. Life is about emotion, love, and giving back to society for a better future for ourselves and others. Life is about helping others in need, for the feeling that it evokes is inimitable. I experienced a great sense of contentment contributing to the wider community by teaching underprivileged children and providing them with essential learning resources. The same is true for raising essential funds through fundraisers for groups of people who were significantly impacted by the second wave of the pandemic to provide them with basic resources. Yet this exuberant inner feeling was never replicated trying to satisfy short-lived and meaningless materialistic wants.
To conclude, it is glaringly evident that life is far from being smooth sailing. It strikes a fine balance between being harsh yet remunerating at times. It is essential to make the most of it while we still have the opportunity to by putting aside our materialistic endeavours. We must shift focus to building a sense of community, being our unique selves, and learning to live in the present. As Mahatma Gandhi’s famous saying goes, “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
