Even if you stop, life does not end

If you are reading this right now and feeling like you are "exhausted," please listen to me for a moment.

There are events in life that you cannot control.

No matter how seriously you live or how hard you try,

unreasonable things happen suddenly.

Being betrayed by someone you trusted.

Losing your job.

Falling ill.

Parting with a loved one.

Nights spent crying alone, misunderstood by everyone.

There are by no means few people who have had such experiences.

And, at such times, people tend to blame themselves.

"Was it my fault?"

"Should I have tried harder?"

That is how we keep looking back at the past and tormenting ourselves.

But I think this:

There are things in life that you cannot change.

That is precisely why you should cherish only what you can change.

That is how you live today.

I have lived for over sixty years.

My life has by no means been smooth sailing.

There have been times when I was used by others.

There have been times when I was deceived.

There were also events where I felt my life was in danger.

There were days when I was too afraid of the night to sleep.

Maybe this is the end.

I have thought that not just once or twice.

Even so, here I am, still living.

That is why I have learned something.

In life, it is not those who never fall who are strong.

Those who try to stand up again no matter how many times they fall are truly the strongest.

Life is often compared to mountain climbing.

I believe that is true as well.

At the start of the climb, you have energy.

You also have hope.

However, as you keep walking, you run out of breath.

Your legs also become heavy.

Maybe I should just stop here.

There are moments when I think that too.

Yet, there is something mysterious.

Even while thinking it is painful, you take just one step forward.

Take just one more step.

By repeating that, before you know it, you will have arrived at a place you never imagined.

When you look back, you can see the path you have walked.

Those painful days.

The days you cried.

The days you wanted to run away.

You realize later that everything was connected to who you are today.

Life is not just about the results.

The path one has walked is their life itself.

Therefore, there is no need to compare yourself to others.

The speed of walking is different.

The burdens we carry are different.

The scenery we see is different.

There was never any need to compare from the start.

If you are standing still right now, that too is an important part of your life.

Stopping is by no means a defeat.

Resting is also one of the strengths of living.

If you rush and push yourself too hard, your heart will only become more exhausted.

So today, it is okay to rest slowly.

It is okay to cry.

It is okay to show weakness.

Even so, please keep living.

If you can take just one step tomorrow, that is enough.

Life does not change in a single day.

However, one step will surely change the future.

Because great changes are the accumulation of small steps.

I myself have almost given up on life many times.

Even so, I never stopped walking.

That is why I have today.

There are things I can say now because of that.

Those painful days were never in vain.

Because of that experience, I have come to understand people's pain a little better.

I have become kinder.

I have become able to listen to someone's words.

Perhaps life allows us to stand by others as much as we have been hurt.

If you are in the midst of suffering right now, please do not forget.

You are still in the middle of your life.

The scenery you see today is not everything there is to life.

A mountain always has a summit.

There are also days when it is foggy along the way.

There are rainy days.

There are windy days.

Yet, only those who keep walking can see the view from the summit.

That view is different for everyone.

That is exactly why it is valuable.

There is a view that only you can see.

Until the day you see that view, please do not give up on yourself.

It is okay to stop.

It is okay to take a detour.

Life is not a competition.

You should walk your life at your own pace.

And when you look back one day, you will surely be able to think this:

I am glad I did not give up back then.

I sincerely hope that day will come for you.

Life is a series of choices.

And in life, everyone has their own drama.

It can be full of ups and downs, or filled with painful experiences; there are many possibilities.

I believe that the true victory in life is not winning by comparing yourself to others, but not losing to yourself.

What is important is that there are those who can realize that victory, and those who cannot.

I think that when people learn much in life and realize the emptiness of winning and losing, they acquire true kindness.

A person who has faced painful things and learned kindness through them.

I believe that such a person is the true winner.

I want to believe that this is you.

Photo & philosophy donchan