Why do we live? Or, rather, what
do we live for? Seems like an easy question to answer, really. That is, until
you think about it. I mean, really think about it.
The answer, I would imagine,
varies from person to person. We all have different lives, different values,
different things to deal with and different views on issues. I can’t presume to
know what everyone lives for. I can only tell you what I’ve lived for and what
I live for now.
It’s not easy, finding a purpose
to life. We are all creatures of society. There are things society expects from
us. We are to be good, obedient children. Then we are to be good, obedient and
hardworking students. Then we are to be good, obedient, hardworking workers.
Then we are supposed to have kids, continue to be obedient workers and then we
are supposed to die.
Morbid, I know. But that’s what
society expects from us.
I’ve never been good at societal
norms. I wanted to be, when I was a kid, what with the peer pressure and
everything. You just want to be accepted, I think. That’s a huge part of human
nature. We want to belong. If there are kids reading this, I want you to know,
it gets better. In that, I no longer care about peer pressure. I am too old to
try to be cool. To try and fit in. I can’t be bothered. And that is a good
thing. Only when you let go of the expectations of other people can you fulfill
your expectations to yourself. It sounds like obscure gibberish, but it is
true. Let me elaborate…
You had dreams. You had
aspirations. Maybe you liked doodling. Maybe you liked to daydream. Maybe you
liked singing. Maybe you wrote poems. But then you forgot. You started trying
to fit in with other kids. Kids who were not into these things. I had it easy
because I didn’t have many friends growing up. Not really. Though, I have met
people who have forgotten their inner child because people thought dreaming
wasn’t cool. Being different was bad because being different wasn’t the cool
thing.
Fuck that.
If you want to put on two
different socks, put on two different socks and be proud. If you think that
poem you had in your mind could be the new Beowulf, go ahead and write that
motherfucker. Kick ass and take names. Be all you can be.
Most of us have jobs, but only a
few of us are lucky enough to do what we love for a living. No one dreams of
being an accountant. Did you play air guitar to some kickass songs? It’s never
too late to start learning guitar. Did you draw comics as a kid and make up
your own characters? Do it now. Let your creativity flow. The world is at your
fingertips now. Start a webcomic. I want to read your comics. I am pretty sure
there are others like me who want to read them too.
Things are going to get you down,
but don’t let it keep you down. Life will punch you in the gut. It’s your
choice to lay down and let life keep kicking your ass, or get up and make life
your bitch. We all lose track sometimes. Sometimes we all feel lost. Without
purpose. Maybe sometimes we feel like we’re a burden. But we owe it to
ourselves to try and fulfill our potential, whatever that might be. Find your
purpose. You will. I know you will.
One thing I know for sure is that
your happiness is not tied to someone else’s. The love of your life cheated on
you? That’s not the love of your life. You’ll find that special someone. That
big promotion you were waiting for went to someone else? Go somewhere where
you’re appreciated. Or work harder.
Listen, no one has it figured
out. We’re all making it up as we go along. Find that thing that the inner
child of yours wanted to do. Maybe that’s the key. Like I said, I don’t know. I
can’t speak for anyone else, I can only speak for me.
What do I live for?
I live for life. I love life. I
love my home. I love this fucking beautiful country I live in. I love the
people around me. My family, my friends. I live for them, because they love me.
And I love them. I live for music, because music makes me feel things in my
soul. I live for movies because they fascinate me. I live for literature
because I’ve been reading since I could… well… read. Books make me think about
things. Books teach me lessons. I live because I haven’t done it yet, whatever
it is that I have to do in this world. I don’t know what it is yet, but I feel
like I’d know when I’ve done it. I live because I want to see more of the
world, meet a lot of interesting people, eat some delicious food. I live for
conversations because I love conversing. I hate small talk. I love
conversations. I lived because I feel like I haven’t lived yet. I’m starting
to, after a long time, experience the excitement of life.
Dare to dream. Dare to be
different. Dare to be yourself, and find yourself.
“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream at night in the dusty
recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity. The
dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with
open eyes to make them possible.” - T.E. Lawrence
