This has been one of those weeks in which frustration is the only word that comes to mind. Frustration over our political system, frustration at how it gets dark at 5pm, frustration at midterm scores, frustration in friendships. But to everyone out there who is feeling the same emotions that I am tonight, this is a letter to you.
To the pure souls out there that are hoping for a sense of peace,
In the midst of what may seem as dense as the San Francisco fog, remember to look at the burnt sienna of the San Francisco Bridge, a reminder that there is fire shimmering in the dark of the night; We stand strong. We are the ones who know what it’s like to pour our hearts into what we want, whether it be unfaltering passion for social justice or the dreams that we dream in broad daylight. We are the ones that know exactly what we believe in and all that we have to give to this world.
So why are we letting fear consume our thoughts, our actions, our love? There’s a quote by Steve Jobs that resonates, not because this of the things this man has accomplished but because there is so much honesty in what he says, “Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you and you can change it, you can influence it…Once you learn that, you’ll never be the same again”.
If you want to see change, be the change. If you are frustrated and dissatisfied, that is only a sign that action must be taken. And I implore you not to fall into the trap of believing that social media is the only way to conduct change; it may be an essential portion of initiating any motion but we are all capable of pursuing a difference greater than anyone can imagine.
Yes, you are bound to face doubt, you are bound to question your morals and your choices and your ability, but trust me when I say that doubt is necessary. That same doubt leads you to search for the integrity in people, the justice beyond the confines of law, full unwavering confidence in yourself.
And in times like these, our trust in others and, even more, the trust in ourselves is what propels us forward. Be all that you can be, give the world all you can give.