Madness Dissected.
We all have problems! I thought this earlier today while caught in a nostalgic trance. I had a vision of my past life and what I had done to get into the position I’m in now. The lyrics of of Kendrick Lamar’s “Fear” came to mind.
“Why, God, why God do I gotta suffer?
Pain is in my heart carry burdens full of struggle.
Why, God, why God do I have to bleed?
Every stone thrown at you restin’ at my feet…”
When one thinks of it all the feeling conveyed is something that has been felt by a lot. Why should we have to struggle throughout our lives? It is frustrating because we sometimes lack the understanding necessary to see the bigger picture. I often only see the little pieces instead of the portrait as a whole.
As an adolescent I played lots of games, games that changed my perspective on life. Beating these games was the initial goal, so that I could build upon my childish pride that I had accomplished something. All good and sweet, but not a true accomplishment when I examined it. I didn’t truly defeat the game. I didn’t truly break it down and conquer it. I had only slid by, beating the games on simple levels.
So, I began challenging myself. What if I beat the games on the hardest levels, usually measured as Master or Legendary? It took me the same amount of time to figure out certain rules and loop holes of the games as it took me to beat the games initially, but when I finally knew what to do I breezed through it all, conquering each and every game the way I saw fit. I felt accomplished.
Now, in the present, I have aged and matured. Life has gone from Easy — no bills, no problems — to Legendary — Trials and Tribulations. But when I was in my trance I visioned my early adolescent games and my life side by side. With a simple perspective change they can be seen as one in the same. Meaning my life was easy, but now that it’s hard I must bunker down, focus, and learn the Rules and loop holes so that I can not only beat life, but conquer it.
We all have problems, seemingly endless trials and brutal tribulations. I’ll be the first to admit I used to run from them. Drugs and alcohol helped me on my exodus from life. But I know realize life is only getting harder so I can reach bigger and better accomplishments. The same goes for anyone analyzing this article. We all have problems, you included, but the harder they get just know it’s setting you up to show your testimony to the world. Keep pushing, keep living, keep thriving.
~Carter ‘Velli
