So Maybe I'm Preaching
By Lakshna, age 17, United Arab Emirates
It's easy to preach. It's easy to follow. It's easy to be conventional. It's easy to hide. It's easy to lie. It's easy to run away ... But is taking the easy way out always the right thing to do?
Differentiating between right and wrong is where we go amiss. We each have our own notions as to what's right and wrong, but in the big picture, isn't what we choose now going to make a big difference? I've had the opportunity to see, learn from, and identify mistakes. I've seen, learned from, and identified, but I'm making the same mistakes.
For some, it's a mistake. For me, it's a learning experience. So where does one draw the line? Where does one decide enough's enough?
Carpe diem. But how? There's so much we don't know. There's so much we don't understand. We're engulfed in ourselves. Do we know how to make the most of everything? Do we know how to prioritise? Do we know the 'whats' and 'whys' and 'hows' of life?
It's not possible to inculcate everything there is to know in the world within ourselves, within a short span of time. But do we try? Do we try to imbibe the abundant knowledge of everyday life? Do we see the precious moments available at our disposal? Do we appreciate what we have to the full extent it deserves? Do we appreciate the people in our life? Do we appreciate the relations we share? Do we appreciate the laughs enjoyed?
It's easy to question, but not answer. It's easy to blame, but not receive blame. It's easy to find fault, but not accept fault. But we put down the person who dares. Fright. We're scared, scared of a confrontation. A confrontation with ourselves, the real us.
Appreciation is what sets a person apart. Not their ideals, not their thoughts. Invariably, thoughts and ideals share the same common roots with some other. Close or not, your ideals and thoughts are never your own. Appreciation - that is all yours.
Leaving things as they were is easy. It's hard to try and amend those past moments, but not impossible. But, do we try? If we do, do we try hard enough? It's better to have tried and lost than never to have tried at all.
