Life is such a funny thing. Not "funny haha," but it undeniably has a remarkable sense of humor. Whether you laugh along with it or take offense is entirely up to you. It’s the kind of humor where you either laugh along or sit there wondering if it’s all a prank.
I’ve seen life shatter before people’s eyes, and they still managed a smile. Meanwhile, others have everything but still act like happiness is some exclusive VIP club they weren’t invited to. These people always make me wonder: where do I stand? Probably somewhere in the middle, sipping coffee and judging everyone (I don’t judge people).
I’ve been blessed with so much in life, but, like most people, I tend to take it for granted. I am grateful but still mildly annoyed when Wi-Fi buffers. And then, when I remember how many people dream of the things I barely notice, guilt kicks in. I'm not the happiest person alive, but when I look around, I realize there’s no real reason not to be. It’s not that I’ve been spared setbacks or heartbreaks—I’ve had my share. But hey, isn’t that life’s subscription plan? No free trials, just pain and lessons.
As a kid, I was in awe of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s quote: “Life is like a piano; to play a beautiful song, you need both the white and black keys.” I still love that quote. Now that I’ve grown older, I truly understand its meaning. Oh, I feel it in my soul. The black keys are the messy, awkward moments that add depth to the tune.
I’m not here trying to sound all wise and philosophical. I’m just a 20-year-old figuring things out like everyone else-with more emotional baggage than closet space. What life-changing incidents could someone my age have encountered? Well, that depends. On what, you ask? Experience.
If there’s one thing life has taught me, it’s this: never let your guard down. The moment you think you’ve got it all figured out and life’s got your back, it pulls a “just kidding.” No matter how safe or comfortable you feel, never forget your values and identity. Letting anything mess with your way of living might feel like a good idea at the time-like eating an entire pizza alone at 2 a.m.-but trust me, the aftermath is rarely worth it.
Take it from me-the situations I thought would never happen blindsided me like a flying cockroach, and the ones I was 100% sure would happen? They didn’t even leave me on “seen.” It stayed in some alternate reality. It’s like life was trolling me for fun (it was heartbreakingly gut-wrenching that i almost puked from anxiety). You trust anything, and boom—reality check. Mine was really humbling; it felt like being friend-zoned by my own dreams. I was waiting for my non-existent guardian angel to bless me.
My biggest lesson? What really matters often lies beyond what’s visible. What you see is often what others want you to see. If you want to truly understand something, trust not just your eyes but what you feel. People call it intuition, gut feeling, or “just a vibe,” or instincts, or as I like to call it, your “subconscious drama queen.” It’s that quiet voice in the back of your head that does behind-the-scenes calculations but won’t let you know that it did. It knows the tea before you do-it’s just polite enough to wait for you to figure it out (for you to come out of your delusion).
Life’s funny that way. It’s like a Netflix series with endless plot twists-just when you think you’ve reached the season finale, they drop a new season and expect you to binge it. So, what do you do? Sit there sulking and complaining about the bad writing? Or smirk and say, “Bring it on, life.” Honestly, I’ve done both, and the latter option is way better. Crying messes up my eyeliner. Sulking only makes things worse-and who has the energy for that?
The best part of life? Those little aha moments when you understand how crazy and beautiful life’s dynamics are. What I’ve realized over time is these challenges of life, while exhausting, are what make it worth living. It’s like climbing a mountain. When you reach the peak and look back, you see your trail: the baby steps, the still moments, the sprints, the falls, the times you were dragged, the times you were on your knees, every time you fell flat on your face, the breaks you should’ve taken, and the paths you should’ve chosen, and the times you just sat down and gave up. You’ll have a million “what ifs,” but do they really matter? What matters is how beautiful the journey was; after all, it created this sassier version of you. And the funnier part is the mountain would be mightier next time. Good luck with that.
Sometimes, you overdo it for something that just needed your presence, like stressing over the perfect caption for a post when nobody really cares. Other times, you wish you’d done more. All you needed was to walk that one extra mile. It’s all a lesson, and there’s no point in feeling regret, for what you have done more or what you coulld have done diffrently. Past is gone, it still ain't late. Each of those steps shaped you into who you are today. You’re now one problem wiser, and honestly, I love that feeling.
I pity the people who are stuck. You know the type: still crying over that one missed job opportunity, their toxic ex, or their bestie-turned-backstabber. I get it-the need to process things. Feel all the feelings, sure, that’s what makes us human, but pitching a tent there, well duh? If you’re still in that space even after having all your “aha” moments, we might need to rethink our friendship. (Kidding. Mostly.)
There’s so much more to life than to, just raw doggingly grind or to stay deadly stagnant. Embrace dynamic living, do it for the plot, because when you are 70 lying on a hospital bed, you look at your life, what do you see? Yes, think about that. Look at the sunsets, talk to people who actually care about you, pet that random street dog, call that friend you ghosted two years ago-this is life. The world is packed with beautiful little moments, and it’s on you to keep looking for them. Its not about what's visible, it's about what is felt.
Laugh at the bad jokes life throws at you. And when things get tough, remember: the black keys are necessary. They make the song interesting-just don’t let them play solo.