Bring me that Horizon.

So recently I shared my theory of life with a close friend. This post is for them. They know who they are. And I really, genuinely hope this helps you too. :)

So basically I believe that life is like a boat voyage.

The sea you sail on is your life and circumstances you live in. Your destination is the end, and the winds that drive you there are your purpose in life. The crew that man your ship are your friends and family and basically all those that love you and that you love. You are the captain of your ship, because you ultimately control which way you go and where you end up.

Oh, ship.

Now sometimes the sea gets rough. Things happen that you hate, and sometimes it gets so choppy that you think things would have been easier if the damn ship would just sink already, and you wonder who the heck made you captain of the ship anyways. But as long as you have at least one person on your crew to hoist up the sails, you should know that everything is going to be all right, because just like the storms at sea, nothing lasts forever. Ultimately, the clouds will dissipate, the choppy waters will calm, and the waves will stop. The ship will stop rocking and turning and it'll sail smoothly once again. The thing is, even the good weather is transient, because it is the sea after all. It'll inevitably become stormy, and inevitably calm again. It's how things work. The circle of life, if you will.

I find this amusingly metaphorical.

And about the winds. Sometimes the winds just stop. That's when you feel desolate and hopeless, because no matter how much you might want to, you can never get your ship to move. But again, life is an ocean, and it never remains windless for long. The directions might change, sure, but that doesn't mean that you give up. It simply means that you change your direction, and look at the trip from a different perspective. After all. When winds stop, they stop because of pressure differences normally associated with a storm ahead. Everything happens for a reason, right?

What's important through your journey is to remember that no matter what happens, you will always have some people on your crew to help you move that ship along. You're the captain, but the captain never works alone.

So remember. Keep your eyes on the sea, your provisions well-stocked, and the wind in your sails. Out your hands on that wheel, and go fetch yourself that horizon.

Salvation á la mode, and a cup of tea.

“It’s a small world after all”. It’s a song we hear on Disney rides and children’s toys everywhere (my water dispenser even plays it when its dispensing water). The lyrics are quite simple, but they aren’t always true.

Sometimes it’s a very large world, and its very possible to feel lonely or abandoned in it. It happens to everyone. You, me, and even the person I hired to write this post for me. :P

It's a small, watery world.

Long story short, it’s not abnormal to feel like there’s nothing to look forward to – whether you’re at home, or in college, school, on vacation, or anywhere else.

In fact, I like to compare life to a cat. Its fast yet slow, needs a lot of attention, and somehow never goes the way you want it to. And this cat called Life can sometimes stare you right in the face with its beady, adorable eyes and shuffle around everything you know. All of a sudden the people and environment you’ve called home for the last so many years changes, and college introduces you to a new environment, new people, and new habits. And this is when that aforementioned feeling of loneliness can manifest itself the most. Its like Dr. Spencer Johnson said in his book, Who Moved My Cheese, “Change happens. They keep moving the cheese.”

Meow. Who moved MY cheese?

This article is dedicated to a very special friend of mine, who inspired me to write, and has been a huge support in the last few months. You know who you are. :)

There’s no one particular solution for feeling alone, however. But I’ll tell you what works for me. Find your group of close friends around you, and keep them closer. The thing about friends is, they’re always going to be there for you, no matter what. Whether you need to talk at 3 am, or exam notes, or even just a hug at 7:30 in the morning before a test, they’ll always be there for you.

And remember one more thing. No matter how bad things might seem now, everything will get better. You WILL pass that test you were worrying about. You WILL find someone you love, and who loves you back. You WILL get that job you wanted. You WILL be successful. But for any of these, you have to try. Make that effort, and you WILL get what you want. It’s one of the rules of life. :)

“It’s a world of laughter, a world of tears,

it’s a world of hope, and a world of fears.

There’s so much that we share, that it’s time we’re aware,

It’s a small world, after all.”

It’s a small world, after all. Learn to enjoy it! Don’t worry too much. Problems will come and go, but that beautiful smile of yours will stay forever.

And that’s the thing about cats. They always land on their feet. :)