Everyone’s life is hard. No one has it easy. We all have secret struggles and silent battles we face every day. The world is unfair, and the only thing fair in it is that we are all equally disadvantaged. But, should the cruel world make us hostile with our own lives too?
Absolutely, no.
Life is not all dull and dark. Life is beautiful still. We may have our bad days, but we surely remember more good days we have experienced.
Sometimes, I wake up within the morning with a heavy heart. The beginning of the day feels like the beginning of something sad. Even waking up from bed seems like a struggle I cannot even overcome. But these moments are little battles I survive every day. And I am proud of it.
Even when hardships surround you like a prison, you still have the freedom to live your life. We face different challenges, yet we can all collectively agree that they are not easy. Every day, I get weakened by the stress and the pressure from my studies. I get crushed by the anxiety of a seemingly hopeless future that awaits me. I keep getting restless of the pace of my progress that I cannot help but think that I’m regressing to the same old me that I want to change. But, I keep going despite these struggles.
Why? Because I have my friends, family, and dreams, I want to achieve. I want to live my life with a heart full of love for the people in my life. They become my inspiration, my motivation, and my strength to carry on living. Some of you are the same as me, right?
Family. We all have our own families. Not everyone may have the same happy and complete ones. But, for people who do, our families become a pillar that supports us. When I feel like I cannot work anymore and during my moments of failures, they become my reason to not give up. They have given me so much, and they have sacrificed so much for me. Why would I give up when they keep working hard just to support me? I want to appreciate their hard work by doing the same. A bright future that I dream of for my family strengthens my resolve to work harder.
Friends. It is fun to be alone. It is impressive to be independent. But, being with people who get along with you and love you, even without familial relations, just makes life better. Knowing that you can turn to people during your sad times eases loneliness and erases our fears. I do not have many friends, but the ones I have are worth keeping. Life may not get easier, but I feel like I can face it more bravely than ever with them. The comfort they give me when I tell them my problems and the laughter we share even in the silliest jokes lightens up the burden. We tell each other our sadness, irritation, and anger, and we understand each other.
Dreams. Life may seem hopeless and tiring, but we should never stop dreaming. Dreams paint colors in our dull world. The moment we stop dreaming is the moment we stop living. Whenever I feel like I cannot continue anymore, I imagine a future where I have achieved my dreams because I did not give up. I think of a future where I am doing the things I have always dreamed of – traveling to places I’ve never been, reading books I never had the time to, buying everything I want, and trying foods I want. Dreaming is the solution for our draining. We may burn out, but the fire of passion in our hearts will flare up again.
Hopefully, we all see parts of our life where the light shines. In this cruel world, we should not let ourselves be devoured of its darkness. We must look for reasons to keep going, even in the little things. It may seem hopeless now, but indeed, life will also bless you with a light to guide your path.
Taking time to appreciate those that stood by us and those that love and brought us up, there's always a reason to keep going, either you want do it for the people you love or you want to do it to prove some people wrong.