What life has taught us
What is life? This is something that people have asked themselves over and over again. Is it merely the space between birth and death? Everyone has a different view of life: an actor sees life on the stage, an author in the creation of a work, a poet in verse, a child in its parents’ embrace, a doctor in the healing of a sick person. Optimists see beauty and joy in life, while the wary see sorrow, sadness and bitterness. I am an ordinary person who sees a mixture of joy and sadness in life.
In my opinion, life is like a tireless teacher who is continually coaching her pupils. Life teaches us many things, for example, that sadness exists and that we need to accept it, but that we shouldn’t submit to fear and defeat.
We have to learn to live for the moment because tomorrow we may not be able to. Life is like an unending mountain with uphill and downhill paths. We mustn’t be discouraged as we walk along them because the best things come in the future and the most beautiful things are visible from the highest peaks. We must learn that happiness comes to those that fight to achieve it.
We must learn not to judge others because we don’t know what route one’s path will take. There are many “unreal” things in life that can never substitute reality. There are people that are irreplaceable such as one’s parents. We must therefore value them for as long as we have them and occasionally hold hands with them and watch the autumn sunset. We might sit by their side in front of the fireplace and drink an unsweetened coffee with them.
We must not be ashamed of the mistakes we have made, but look out for the day when we become aware of those mistakes; we must discuss them and correct them calmly, trusting that we will simply become wiser. We should not be put off by people’s criticism, but be like a flower that insists on blooming in the crack of a road without fear of being run over. We must learn to do good, wherever and however we are. We should, for example, help a blind person cross the road even if this means that we are late for an important appointment.
In this way, we overcome evil and reward good. We must learn not to give into oppression, however difficult this may be. Better to speak one’s mind than to give in. We must believe in the warmth of a handshake, and allow it to permeate our heart and soul; we should believe in God’s love and his miracles, because he is always by our side.
We should be aware that our parents’ embrace on our return from a week away, is a joy and a blessing, because when the day comes that they are no longer with us, the sorrow and bitterness of their absence will be with us forever.
Why shouldn’t we kiss the hand of our parents, even once?
Why was I always thinking of the future, rather than living the present?
Why was I afraid of defeat?
Why did I care so much about what others said?
Why and why and why so many “why’s”?
So many unanswered why’s sit heavily on our shoulders.
We really should live in the present, appreciate what we have and try to make our wishes come true.
A few years ago, I read a sentence in a book, which I understand more and more with each passing day: “It is your decision not to get up when you fall. Your choices should not be left to chance.”
Finally, we all need to look at ourselves as outside observers at some point, and ask ourselves whether the person we see, the one that has resulted from our choices, is living life correctly or not.
This article was originally published in the seventh issue of ‘Migratory Birds’. The seventh issue of ‘Migratory Birds’ was produced by the Network for Children’s Rights, and supported by UNICEF with funding by the European Commission — Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. This edition was further supported by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung– Office in Greece, funded by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation, and published in Greece’s Efsyn newspaper on March 31, 2018.
