Living Is Believing

There are certain times in our lives where we seem to think we’re standing at crossroads.

Intersections of paths leading to different destinations, but frankly, I think all roads lead you to ultimately where God wants you to be.

To me, God is more then a friend or a father. More then a superhero, whom can crush you with a mere thought or spit fire and char you like a piece of chicken on a BBQ.

You see, the thing with God is that, He (gender here being subjective so I’ll just use He, although I am open to change) allows you choices. And this is where humanity can cloud our senses or issue us a shot to shine.

We all have this tendency to think that we’re the worst off case. That our lives suck beyond compare. That the world is unfair. And maybe, maybe even contemplated that suicide would be a better option. We think that we’re shortchanged and drama in our lives should just come to its glorious end.

However, we forget one nitty, gritty detail. We’re juxtaposing our lives to that of the people we see, either on tv, or the families of friends we THINK we know.

Let me tell you one truth : Everybody hurts.

In some way or another, even the most jovial personality you know, nurses some hidden sorrow.

You know your smart friend? He or she may have zero self esteem. To her, studying is a form of escapism. An indicator of something, or the only thing that she feels she can be good at.

Or how about that good looking guy in your class? Well, he may be in turmoil with regards to his sexuality. Torn apart by this silent conflict that repeats itself every single morning.

And how about little miss perfect? The one that seems to have it all? Looks, brains, money etc. Her family may be on the verge of collapse and she is suicidal.

Everyone goes through shit. The hurt. The pain. But it is a personal choice to either rise to the occasion or to wallow in self pity and give in to the crap that keeps on churning.

It may be hard to recognize at first, but everyone must understand a few truths.

1. There is always someone worse off

2. There is always a way out

And no matter how alone we think we are, we are never actually alone. And the choices we make affect someone else.

The difference is in the choices we allow ourselves to make. If you have grief, permit yourself to go through the process, then snap back in shape.

Life goes on.

Through nursing, I’ve been blessed with an opportunity to peer into the lives of the people under my care. Sometimes, it’s hard to understand how they find the resolve to continue the battle, and other times, it’s even harder to come to terms with why they give up, when there is so much life can still offer.

Some people throw their lives away, while others die trying.

I lost another friend recently. Her sister sms-ed all the people in her phone book, announcing the loss. I remember I spoke up for her once. I chided an aunty sharing the same room with her for being bitchy (of course, I used nicer language). And that we spent several nights talking at length, about things that mattered and others that did not. We continued the sms-es until time eroded the closeness we once shared and she stared to fade into the dark recesses of memory.

I have no doubt she fought her battles well.

And when you start to recognize the war that is apparent in each and every one of us, you start to realize that your own problems diminish in stature.

Some people need to fight for their right to stay alive :

70% of the casualties in recent conflicts have been non-combatants - most of them women and children

2 million people are trafficked every year – the majority women and girls

According to UNICEF, 30,000 children die each day due to poverty.

And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.”

We're standing at the crossroads in our lives.

Are you choosing to live a life that is worth living?