The self, a Journey

The inevitable end

A flower, ice cream, and a cat. All providing joy and happiness to me, but one common theme has become clear. One will wilt away, the other melting and eventually evaporating into the air, and the last dying. As we grow and gather more information about the world and ourselves, one thing becomes ever-present: nothing is meant to last forever. The beautiful flowers that wilt and die, the ice cream that melts into a puddle... they are eventually no more. The cat, a precious being you spent a good fraction of your life with, is no more. It can be a scary reality, mortality. But I encourage you to look past the fear, for fear is created in our head, it cannot hurt us. It is okay to be afraid, but do not live in fear. It is because we are mortal that we shouldn't worry. It is because nothing lasts forever we shouldn't fear.

I challenge you to view the most dreaded thing, something all life is, in some aspect, genetically programmed to avoid as much as possible, in a positive light. Since our last breath is inevitable, why worry? Why have anxiety over something that is out of your control? It is all the more reason to live in the moment, to savor every drop of life we are given. They say to live each day like it's your last, well, see to it you do. Mortality shouldn't be something you dwell on, rather something you come to accept.

We, along with everything else, won't last forever. That doesn't mean life is meaningless, in fact, it makes it all the more valuable. Enjoy it, live, and don't take everything too seriously. Tell your crush your feelings, ride that scary ride, take a risk, eat that calorie-packed burger.

And for those who have lost someone they loved, it'll be alright. Hang in there. Your feelings are valid. Let yourself feel it, let the emotions run through you. Though it may seem dark around you, look up, for there is light that shines from above. Let yourself eyes adjust, let yourself grieve, take care of yourself, you are loved. Speaking personally, death isn't something you get over, rather you learn to heal and live with it. The closest comparison I can think of is when you get a bad cut; it takes a lot of cleaning and bandages to heal, but there is still a scar left. Though the pain won't be present as time goes on, the scar on your heart will never fade. Scars, amongst other things, are very beautiful and add to who we are as people. One day at a time.

Take care.