The quote above made a deep impression on me. It made me realize the importance of stopping and reflecting on the causes of events, the reasons for our actions and the best way to proceed. Rather than establishing our focus on other people’s perception of us, we should focus on carrying out our duty to pursue our passions without restraint. It made me realize that for every single action, it is essential to ask ourselves questions like, why am I doing this? Does the end-result of this action positively contribute to my development and personal fulfillment? How does it contribute to the wellbeing of the society at large? Even though the answer might not present itself immediately, the intricate journey of life has a tendency of revealing the answers to these questions. However, this cannot freely happen in a mind that does not take the brave step of stopping and reflecting. It only takes place in a mind that is free to explore and question certain fixed boundaries of societal norms.
As much as we live in a world where no man can live as an island, it is imperative that one considers his weaknesses and strengths in relation to his dreams and ambitions. Whereas the world might form their own biased opinion of me as an individual, this should not be the basis from which I should determine my real self. I should gauge my capabilities and weaknesses and pursue my dream without considering the distractions from society. On the other hand, I believe that as an individual, I should acknowledge their opinions analytically so that I pick everything that positively contributes to my development as an individual while selectively leaving out every opinion that might act as a speed bump on personal development.
All of us live with ambiguity and intractable issues. Our differences, however, reveal themselves through the diversity in which we respond to these conundrums. Some people just wait in the expectation that “time will heal all wounds,” while others make the utmost exertions in order to tackle problems head-on. I believe that the process of dealing with some of life’s intractable problems imparts upon us the art of patience and diligence so that we won’t make choices in haste that we will later regret. These experiences can later become valuable resources.
Those of us living busy lives in modern society want to experience instant results. However, life frequently serves up both disappointment and success to help us find the direction and path that is most suitable for each of us. In order to draw a proper “self-portrait” practical experience is of paramount importance. Even though criticism is imminent in such circumstances, with a firm resolve to overcome present obstacles as well as a burning desire to pursue your goals, you will slowly approach your dreams through the process of trial and error. Through this process, one can tend dreams for the future, helping them grow. By living our lives and making mistakes, I believe we can find our own path.
Even if loneliness and sorrow line my path, I will continue to paint my self-portrait and pursue my dreams. Success and failure are all parts of life. The quote, “At present you need to live the question,” tells me to be brave and pursue my work with pride as the shortcut to success.