“Without suffering, there’d be no compassion.”
― Nicholas Sparks, A Walk to Remember
Dear someone in the world,
If you run into this post by chance, nice to meet you. Wherever you’re now at this moment, I sincerely hope you’re doing well. Especially under the current circumstances where our lives are significantly restricted due to the global pandemic and are a far cry from what it used to be, we may need to pray for and support each other spiritually despite our distances more than ever.
Think like this. We all are the crew of Spaceship Earth. We’re all together here. What is happening on the other side of the earth would eventually in one way or another have an effect on your everyday life.
Born in a Catholic family, I’ve been blessed with faith. Even though I’m not a regular churchgoer, I constantly appreciate my faith and those opportunities I’ve got here on earth, including precious interactions with my international friends despite our differences in language, culture, customs, and nationalities.
This journey called life taught me valuable lessons and the same goes for all of us, citizens of the world. As I mentioned above, I appreciate my faith and all those experiences I was given.
Still, as long as we breathe, we struggle and face challenges. This journey isn’t always a smooth or easy one. As we grow, our childhood dreams disappear just like a ghost and all we have is this ever-accelerating modern world driven by capitalism.
Modern society keeps telling us that we’re never enough despite all the amazing things we already have. Social media keep telling youth to hold their body attractive and eat less. Business-owners keep demanding potential candidates to have critical skills strong enough to cope with the ever-competing business world. Our governments keep directing us to hate their enemies despite the fact that we haven’t even met them individually.
But, what if we stop here and think about what really matters to life? Aren’t we good enough as we already are? Why do we demand more in spite of the ecological destruction caused by our economical activities over the past centuries? Why can’t we embrace mutual kindness and compassion instead of the ever-lasting competitions?
Here, let me share one of my favorite quotes written by an unknown author. But don’t get me wrong; I don’t mean this to be anything religious and didactic. As I mentioned earlier, I appreciate my faith, and this quote has something to do with my faith:
I asked God for strength, that I might achieve
A Creed For Those Who Have Suffered by Author unknown
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey…
I asked for health, that I might do greater things
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things…
I asked for riches, that I might be happy
I was given poverty, that I might be wise…
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God…
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things…
I got nothing that I asked for — but everything I had hoped for
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men, most richly blessed!
This creed is hung on a wall at a waiting room of Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, 400 East 34th Street NYC.
Just think like this. You’re already good enough as you are. Even though this crazy world may bend over backwards to make you behave like everyone else, don’t succumb to their demands. Keep being you and appreciate what you already have. Those social norms or expectations could be meaningless any time soon. Don’t you think how wild it is that you can outgrow what you once thought you can’t live without, and then you fall in love with what you even know you wanted?
Just think about it…
Here are some of my shots I photographed in Chigasaki in September 2011.
