Journey of Life
In life, we all start out the same way – being born and also end up the same way – being dead. What happens in between is the story of life. As we begin the journey, each one of us embarks on a unique path that enriches one’s emotional senses, tests one’s mental and physical limits, and most importantly points one’s role in life. This path is woven around events that will shape human’s civilization. Some of us are mover, some are shaker, some are talker, some are slacker, some are observer, etc. Each one of us contributes what one can – be it good, bad, or evil toward a destination that no single person can alter and everyone is accountable. In the journey of life, some will experience love, some will learn to hate, some will be destined to greatness, some will find happiness in obscurity, some will seek the meaning of life, some will enjoy the wonders of life, etc. The journey of life can be divided into 3 major periods, namely, childhood, adulthood, and old age.
Childhood
It is a time of learning and discovery. It is also a time of innocence and we are totally at the mercy of our surroundings. Whatever the experiences are will likely be etched into our memory for the rest of the life. We need our parents to provide shelter and protection. We need a stimulating environment to properly develop our mental and physical capabilities. Not all of us will have the good fortunate to spend the childhood in such ideal conditions. There are some who have to work to support their family to make a living. There are some who live in an oppressive family having to endure uncommon physical abuse and mental stress. There are some who are forced to join violent gangs to seek safety and protection that the society fails to do. There are some who are born with a silver spoon in the mouth without ever knowing the parental love. All these myriad scenarios will no doubt exert great influence on the given individual’s future. In childhood, each one of us will learn different things depending on the path one is forced to take. But, we all understand that the best policy is to be what is expected of us.
Adulthood
It is a time to be independent and to take responsibility. It is also a time to confront our mental and physical limitations.
1) We find that we can be only who we are and do only what we are capable of. For those who are able to go to school will come to a better understanding of their mental aspirations, emotional temperament, and physical prowess. For those not so fortunate, they will have to find out through trial and error their place in the world.
2) We only have friends who complement our unique personalities and fill our special emotional needs. We find that the easiest time to make friends is in the childhood. Even then, we found that we were attracted only to certain individuals while making adversaries with the others. As we grow older, it becomes more difficult to make new friends due to increasing social pressure and self awareness.
3) Each one of us can comprehend only certain aspect of the world and is able to know only what one is supposed to. It is much like a blind person trying to understand what does an elephant look like confined to feel only part of the animal. A mathematician sees the world in numbers. A musician seeks harmony in life through melodies. A businessman finds happiness in making money. A thief uses ones best knowhow to make ends meet. A murderer faced a fatal situation falls victim to one’s darker self.
In adulthood, we find ourselves free to do whatever we want. We also find ourselves alone having to face and solve uncommon problems. We do not understand why things happen the way they do. We have no choice but to play along the best way we know.
Old Age
We will have been through a lot when we reach the old age. Some have survived emotional traumas or endured physical injuries. Some have enjoyed a happy family life or experienced heart breaking relationships. Some have achieved great fame or lost the faith in humanity. Some have contributed to the well beings of the human race or caused deep harms to the population. Some have accomplished the goals they set for themselves. Some have encountered only failures and disappointments.
As we reach the last leg of our journey, the twilight of our life, we cannot help but reflect upon what we did, what had happened, and what does it all mean. We had plenty of choices along the way and wonder if things could turn out differently and our life could be more or less meaningful. But, inevitably, the conclusion seems that in the bigger scheme in the course of life on Earth, the individual’s life is really insignificant. Just like the rest of the animal kingdom, the individual’s sole purpose and function are geared toward the survival of the whole. To the humans, we are not only able to understand this purpose and function but also able to see the wonder and feel the grandeur that is the journey of life.
