The Power of Perspective
As I reflect on my twenty-six years of living, I realize how much I’ve changed the way I view certain events in my life. It’s interesting when I was young and did not have a lot of life experience, I found it difficult to believe that things were going to get better and that this trial was not going to last forever. As I have gotten older, I understand more that life has ups and downs. Not everything is going to be an enjoyable experience, but each and every experience is going to teach me something. I haven’t liked every trial or am necessarily happy that certain events transpired in my life, but each trial has evolved my soul. I’ve grown in love, compassion, patience, wisdom, courage, forgiveness, resilience, discernment, and optimism. I’m a much stronger person than I once used to be and I’m not afraid of standing on my own two feet without the approval of the world. My relationship and trust in God have strengthened through undergoing dark nights of the soul. Of course, I still question why certain events have happened in my life and the life of others. Additionally, I do not enjoy seeing the suffering of humanity or wish that people go through traumatic situations. It is challenging to see the pain of humanity and not understand why the world is the way it is. It can be difficult to keep an optimistic attitude when seeing the darkness of this world, but I do hope that we, as people, will learn from our mistakes and become better versions of ourselves. I truly believe that the world can be transformed into a much more loving place, but it may take millions of years for that to be the reality.
Looking back on my life as well, I can see the times when I haven’t treated people the best. The times when I have been mean, jealous, unforgiving, cruel, and hateful. I can also see the times when I have been loving, kind, and helpful to people as well. There are many character faults that I need to work on and it’s important to me to become a better version of myself. I am proud of myself for not giving up when times have gotten tough and keeping going.
Being older has helped me develop greater gratitude for my life. I have lived a very blessed life. I’ve always had food to eat, water to drink, a comfortable house to live in, parents who cared for me, friends who have supported me, access to high-quality education, gotten to travel to new places, and much more. There are many times when I have complained about trivial matters and forgotten about my good fortune. I’ve lived a better life than millions of people who are living in poverty and are experiencing immense suffering. I have never experienced the depths of their pain and misfortune. Whenever I complain about small inconveniences in my life, I try to remember all the privileges that I have. There are millions of people who would gladly live my life. Since I have so many blessings, I have always wanted to help people who are less fortunate. Growing up, volunteering through my church was important, and I assisted with food drives, thanksgiving drives, toy drives, and Sunday school. As I have gotten older, I have donated to academic scholarships and animal rescue efforts. I also mentor young people from my alma mater and continue to help my church with different philanthropic events. I want to continue to help other people in my life and make the world a more loving and compassionate place.
Like most people, my life hasn’t turned out exactly the way I envisioned it. There have been many amazing surprises, including working in digital marketing, meeting kind people, and traveling to interesting places. Naturally, there have been some disappointments, like dealing with toxic friendships, being assaulted, navigating job layoffs, and struggling with finding my purpose. One of the most important life lessons I have learned is that I do not have to have my whole life figured out and everything I need to know will be revealed to me in time. As long as I continue to be open-minded and optimistic, life will unfold as it’s meant to be.
