Embrace the chaos. It sounds so odd; humanity is seemingly always searching for peace of mind, tranquility and reconciliation. We crave order and stability. But what happens when we stop searching for those things and just live in the chaos?
I lived in Beirut for a short period of time, and I can honestly tell you it seems (for an outsider) to be the most disordered, tangled place on the earth. The noise never stops, cars honking incessantly, fumes spreading like twisted fingers through jumbled streets; people walk wherever they please - on the roads, on the sidewalk, sometimes even venturing nonchalantly on the highway. Shops and commercial centres are wildly disorientating, stuffed shelves and customers amalgamating in a confusing array of shouting and scuffling. Traffic lights are rarely obeyed (if they're even working), and electricity runs erratically. Some buildings fragment and peel onto the streets, and others stand tall and new, blatant and mushrooming into the sky amidst the chaos.
All these things have their problems, their difficulties. It is awkward to live in such a place, awkward to navigate such a muddled life. But there are things to learn from Beirut, things to learn about yourself, and things to learn about life.
There is a myriad of things that come along with chaos, some of them good and some of them bad. I absolutely thrived in Beirut, happier than ever, steering myself steadily through the madness. I learned so much about what it is to find personal stability in a world of chaos, and I became a stronger person because of it. It forces you to face parts of yourself that you never knew existed, and that confrontation takes place in the most awkward of times, compelling you to embrace the chaos that surrounds you. Let me explain how.
Notwithstanding the fact that people in general tend to live fairly systematic lives, chaos can bring unwitting joy to your daily routine. Messy circumstances tend to drive you to sit up straighter, to notice more, to appreciate more. Our true creativeness can only be harnessed right at the edge of chaos, where black and white merge into grey, allowing us more freedom to think, to reflect, and eventually to create. When we are not pushed into ordered boxes and routines, you'll find us pushing the boundaries of creation.
Another reason to embrace the chaos is the strengthening of relationships. When we are faced with turbulence in some form or another, we tend to create tighter bonds with those around us. There is science behind this: disorder creates stress (which, in little doses, can actually be good for us), and this releases a hormone called oxytocin - this gives us little signals that we need to connect to those around us, almost creating a group mentality that protects us better when confronted with confusing or overwhelming circumstances. When we are faced with a chaotic life, our bonds are reinforced and deepened - it's scientific workability.
Life is a gift; a mad, confusing, evolving train that never stops. We can either hide from it, or we can embrace it. The nature of human psychology instinctively resists chaos, but by confronting it head-on, we can unlock the part of human nature that is naturally creative, resourceful, and determined. Get out there, and embrace the chaos that surrounds you.