Be Humble

There are truths to life that you just take for granted. I believe my friends will always be around to support me when I need them and that my parents will be there whenever I have a question. The reality of these truths are as thin as paper. My dad had a brain tumor removed 13 years ago and has lived a healthy life so far. The past few months, he has been sick and we found out today it is an autoimmune disease. The good news is, it does not appear to be fatal; however, it is something that he may have to live with the rest of his life.

We take a lot of things we have for granted because it's just easy to believe that things are constant and don't change. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden loves the Museum of Natural History because the exhibitions in there are static and he wants that stability in his life. However, everything in the museum is dead and the nature of life is to have constant change. Embrace that change and know that your time here is limited. Live every moment with your loved ones close by.

A great life

I have a tumblr page that I use every once in a while when I find interesting quotes, articles, images, or almost on the internet that is interesting to me. What I've noticed is that I post more frequently when I become more introspective (see: emotional) because things in my life aren't going the way I want it to. This could be after a breakup, the stress of finding a job, or overall anxiety in life. It's fascinating to me that raw, powerful stories come from deep loss, which is when personal growth can take hold.

From a biological point of view, those things that have the proper nutrients, space, and nurture grow the fullest and reach their potential. They have a very consistent and predictable life and as a whole, those populations do the best. On the contrary, it is those things that experience systemic shock to their environments that do poorly, however, it is where change and evolution really happens. Many prefer the former - a consistent life that has a predictable and good outcome. I'm not sure I believe that 100%. A rich life is one that has it's very difficult times where all seems lost only to come back from the brink and become a better someone. I personally try to push myself in situations I'm not comfortable with to see and understand what I can handle. With every little action and decision, I am pushing myself to grow.

Aurelius

I read Marcus Aurelius' Meditations earlier this year and it had a profound impact on me. It is a book about philosophy and a way-of-life that I can personally relate to. My main takeaways are:

1. You're not special. We all turn to dust in the end.
2. We are all connected. From the lowly ant to the celestial stars, we are all working within a system.
3. Moderation is key. This is true for food, drink, talk, and emotion.
4. Death is final. Take advantage of what you have now and live each moment.
5. Listen

The overall philosophy is called stoicism and originated from the Greeks and popularized by Marcus Aurelius. My brother-in-law asked me why this didn't take off like a religion and the truth is that many parts of it did live on in Christianity. They were able to take the best parts of stoicism and made it their own. Additionally, no one likes hearing that they're not special or that there's nothing after this world and religion was able to fill those gaps. Regardless of what you believe in, it is important to live a virtuous life and be true to those around you. I am constantly trying to improve myself and challenge what my perception of the world is.

Letting go

At what point do you give up on someone, especially if that person was once a close friend? You try so many different methods to reach that friend only to realize that what you're saying to him is not getting through. Do you give that person a second, or eighth chance or do you stick it out unconditionally? Call me selfish, but at this point, I cannot defend my friend anymore for his actions and his lack of awareness is a reflection of my choices and character. Unless he grows up to realize that his decisions has a consequence on others, I'll have to take a step back.

But should we? Taking a step back can be further isolation for the troubled friend and then possibly go into an uncontrolled tailspin. I would feel responsible if something were to happen that I could have prevented.