We can’t bubble wrap ouselves
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It’s spring, or so it would seem according to the weather forecast, and with it comes a sense of renewal after what seemed like an interminable winter. I sit here, quietly contemplating the rapid passage of time, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of vulnerability. It seems like only yesterday that I was 18, the last real age milestone when the world was my oyster and I had no clue what was in store for me in life. And now, here I stand at the threshold of another stage of life, teetering between the memories of the past and the unknown challenges that lie ahead. I have a feeling of wanting to bubble wrap myself so I don’t get hurt anymore, but I know that’s not possible, or desirable. We need to feel the pain and face challenges to get better.
Looking back, mom tried her best to provide me with a foundation of love, support, and wisdom. She did a damn good job, but life isn’t fair and there isn’t anything mom could have done to change that. As I look back on the journey I have undertaken, I find myself reflecting on the many times I have stumbled, the moments of doubt and insecurity that have plagued me as I sought to be the best person I could be.
Being a good person is a complex and ever-evolving pursuit. It requires a delicate balance of humility, empathy, and resolve. And as much as I might strive for perfection, the truth is that I am flawed in many ways. I have often found myself grappling with the weight of my own shortcomings, wondering if I have done enough to navigate the precarious landscape of life.
But in those moments of vulnerability, I have also discovered a powerful truth: that it is in my very imperfection, in my willingness to fail and to learn from those failures, that I find the courage to grow and become more of who I am meant to be. It is a lesson I hope to carry with me as I continue on my own journey of self-discovery.
Inevitably, I have made mistakes. I have stumbled, I have faltered, and I have sometimes lost my way. But in the process, I have also learned invaluable lessons about resilience, determination, and the power of unconditional self-love. This last one being really difficult, so I am not sure I have anywhere near gotten how to do it right. It is these lessons that I hope to draw upon as I face the next challenges the world throws at me and that I put on myself.
Over the years, I have come to understand that it’s okay to fail, to feel the sting of disappointment and the weight of unfulfilled dreams. I have learned that failure is an integral part of the human experience, and that it is through my willingness to confront my shortcomings that I gain the strength and wisdom to transcend them.
As I continue to grow, I embrace the beauty of vulnerability, recognizing that it is in my willingness to be open to failure that I find the capacity for growth and transformation. I have learned to see the world through the lens of empathy and compassion, letting go of much of my judgment of others, and understanding that we are all, in our own ways, struggling to find our footing in an ever-changing world.
And above all, I have come to understand that being a good person is not about achieving perfection, but about striving for growth and evolution in the face of life’s many challenges. It is about recognizing that my worth is not defined by my successes or my failures, but by the courage and tenacity with which I face them.
So, here I am preparing to take on more of the world and try a few new things. I am filled with both hope and fear. I know that I will face moments of uncertainty and adversity, and that there will be times when I feel as though I have failed. But I also know that it is in those moments that I will find the strength to rise above, to learn, and to grow into the next awesome person I am destined to become.
As I continue to grapple with my own vulnerabilities and imperfections, I find comfort in the knowledge that it is my willingness to embrace the beautiful, messy complexity of life that makes me truly human and allows me to become the best version of myself.
I hope you have a great week ahead and you see that your efforts to be an improved you every day won’t always be successful, but that’s ok. Keep pushing. And, remember that People Power Everything.
John
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