I’m going to go a little deep with today’s post. Just a fair warning…
About halfway through my run the other day, I found myself closing down my playlist. As I started running sans music, I was left with just my thoughts.
And my thoughts these days all lead to the same conclusion – life isn’t fair.
My immediate family and close friends are fine but it just seems that lately lots of people I know or know of (and let’s be honest, complete strangers I read about on the internet) are being thrown curveballs that can’t be avoided, controlled, or changed. Things that are truly life altering.
I’ve had many conversations with Vishnu, my mom, my sister, and my close friends about why some people have to experience such sad circumstances. I know we all have burdens and problems we carry in life, but something that still puzzles me is why certain people have to carry such a heavy load. And again, a load they have no control over.
And the only explanation I can come up with is sometimes life isn’t fair. However, we have to keep on keeping on. Because as we all know, life does go on. And really, what’s the alternative?
From the way I see it, there is no alternative. The only thing we can do is appreciate what we have right now, knowing full well that anything can happen tomorrow. As terrifying as it is to know that nothing is permanent, it’s also beautiful because knowing this gives us the freedom to focus on the important stuff.
These feelings usually come and go for me. I’ll get lost in my thoughts for days, only to reemerge and operate as usual. But this time it’s different. I don’t want to know all of this and still focus on the things that don’t matter. The things that if taken away tomorrow would only leave a temporary void in my life.
I want to practice what I preach. So from now on, I’m going to work really really hard to be grateful for my todays (not just say or think grateful thoughts but act in ways that represent the sentiment) and to focus on the things that if taken away tomorrow would leave a permanent void in my life. No more sweating the small stuff.***
Life may not be fair, but it is beautiful, and I’m going to soak up as much beauty as I can.
[End deep thoughts.]
***Of course, I’m human and sometimes stupid things will bother me. My point is that I’m going to try my best not to let those thing have such an impact (like they have in the past).