This I Believe | Teen Ink

This I Believe

May 26, 2017
By Anonymous

Life... where to begin. Well for one it’s definitively both complicating, yet beautiful. Everyone is given a life, and everyone is given a purpose. Some may’ve already found their purpose, while others are still in search. Others still question whether or not they have one, or if their life has any meaning at all. Some might be living in rough times, and others might even be fighting battles that we know nothing about. If there’s one thing I have to say to simplify life in general i’d be that despite it’s up’s and down’s, we should all be grateful that we are given a life. I understand that it can be rough and difficult for many of us, but I believe that even in the face of struggle, people have so much to be grateful for.

 

Tell me, what would you do if you were evicted from your own home one day and were forced to remove all of your belongs? If you had nowhere to go, would you live out on the streets? If you were sentenced to a lifetime in prison? Would you be able to handle living in solitude till the end? What would happen if the doctor told you one day that you can never walk, listen, or speak ever again? Will you let your disabilities control your life? If you think that the problems in your life are bad, think again… because the struggles that you face in life right now are nothing compared to the struggles that other people are facing in other places.


Some people want it all. Some want a new car, while others can’t afford one and have no choice but to take the bus, or ride a bike, or walk.  Some want trendy and fashionable clothing, while others have to wear handy-downs that are faded and have holes in them. Some want a big and spacious house, while others live in worn out housings, or in their car, or even on the streets. People tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come from things we receive, but from the things that we already have. I know that life can be a little unfair for us sometimes, but we should all be grateful and blessed for what we have and should never complain about anything because some people might not have the things we have. It’s not only objects, it can be jobs, an education, and health too.
For me, personally, I wasn’t born in a wealthy family. I don’t live in a perfect house, on a perfect block, in a perfect neighborhood. I don’t have the trendiest and fashionable clothing like most girls have. I don’t have or drive a fancy car. I don’t have the coolest phone like everyone else. I don’t attend a top-of-line school. No… none of it. But what I do have is a family who loves and supports me. Although my parents don’t make a lot of money, they do make enough to support my siblings and I, to put food on the table so we don’t go hungry, and to put us through school to become successful individuals; and for that I am grateful. Without them I wouldn’t be living the life that I’m living today. I’ve lived in a ghetto neighborhood all my life where drugs and violence thrives, but where I come from doesn’t define me. I may not live in the perfect house in a perfect and peaceful neighborhood, but I am grateful that I have a roof over my head, a bed for me to sleep on, and a blanket that protects me from the cold and keeps me warm at night. I may not have the most fashionable clothes, but I am grateful that I have clothes on my back. It’s definitely better than nothing. I may not own a car or drive, but I am grateful that my school provides transportation to pick me up everyday. And even though I don’t attend the greatest school on the island, I am grateful that I have an education and have teachers who help me, and try to push me to exceed beyond my capabilities. Without my teachers, I wouldn’t be the person that I am today.


In life, not all struggles are permanent. If you think of it in a different perspective, there are always the brighter sides of situations. You should never have to think that just because you don’t have the luxury that other people have doesn’t mean that you aren’t good enough. Objects are just objects, they don’t define us. Happiness thrives when your gratitude list becomes longer than your worries list. Stop worrying about what you don’t have and instead focus more on what you do have because what if one day you awoke with only the things you were thankful for yesterday? Would you regret not cherishing everything that you were given? Big or small, even the littlest things can have a very big impact on our lives. And though it meant little to you, that little could mean a whole lot to someone else.


People say you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Truth is you knew what you had you just never thought you’d lose it. It’s important that we never forget to always be grateful for what you have even if you struggle in life. It only get’s harder before it gets easier, but just remember to stay strong, be positive, and always be humble. You’re only given one life and it’s important to always live it to the fullest, and cherish every moment of it. Things come and things go, but it’s the memories that will always stay.



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