Everything will be ok in the end....

Those who have interacted with me will know the quote "Everything will be ok in the end. If it's not ok, it's not the end." The quote is on my WhatsApp, Twitter and this Blog. I could say this is my motto. This week I thought of sharing why this quote shapes my attitude about life.

Life

Life is complex and complicated. It is unpredictable. It is not always the case that if you do "A" and "B", then "C" will happen. It has its ups and downs, joys and sorrows. It is not necessarily fair, not too sure if it is meant to be. We all have our struggles. Some people's battles are known while others' are internal. Those who are generally ok today may be fighting battles tomorrow.

Desires and aspirations

It is not all about struggles, we also have desires and aspirations that we are working tirelessly to attain. When we have done all that we can and our goals still fail to materialise, this can be a source of despair.

How do we carry on?

Sudden loss of our loved ones through accidents or illnesses is devastating. Breaking up of families and relationships as well as betrayal is shattering. When all that we have worked to attain crumbles it hurts. When our dreams seem to elude us despite doing everything right in pursuing them, it is heartbreaking. The question is, how do we carry on? How do we cope with the different seasons of life? Can we rise above the obstacles and live again?

Hope

There has to be an inner belief that despite the darkness and gloom, the sun will rise again. That, if you are facing a bad patch, life will not always be the way it is now. That, we can take baby steps to heal from the hurt and find happiness again. That, although things are not working out today, tomorrow can be a better day.

Importance of religion

Certain situations in life are beyond our control. Religion then enables humanity to trust a higher power (God) to intervene and take care of such situations and this can be a good coping mechanism. Without such, where can one draw strength to carry on?

The bigger picture

When we encounter challenges in life, there are various reactions and I will address the two extremes. On one end, there is a tendency to believe that one's life become defined by the problem and in this case, life is only viewed in the context of the problem. If one cannot see a way out, then they cannot see how they can continue living (hence the reaction can be to commit suicide). The other end of the spectrum is to see a challenge as a phase in a life which has many seasons and that life in itself cannot be defined by one season. Being unhappy today does not mean one will be unhappy tomorrow. Failing today does not mean one will not win tomorrow. One might be injured today but it does not mean they will still be bleeding tomorrow. As much as memories and scars from yesterday's hurt may not necessarily disappear or be forgotten, tomorrow may hold good enough experiences to dwarf today's sorrows.

Although life might not seem to be taking the direction that you desire, if you look beyond today, in the end, everything will be ok. You may be fighting battles that you don't have a clue on how you will overcome them but if you hang on, things will not always be like this, in the end, everything will be ok. You might be hurting and feeling like your world is crumbling right before your eyes but it is just a season, everything will be ok in the end. Life is worth fighting for. Don't let today's perplexities blind you from seeing tomorrow's possibilities.

Even if not

One might say it is easier said than done. I totally understand. I know certain people who have gone through experiences that I have no clue how I would have overcome if I were in their place. Life is not a fairytale and to believe so would be folly. It is also possible that relief from pain and challenges may never come until the end, and for me, that is fine. I would still choose to live everyday with the positivity and hope that tomorrow will be better.