Growing up, I was taught the values of empathy and service. I was raised by loving and selfless parents who always give to others from the bottom of their hearts, and to me it was normal to be vulnerable and open with giving love. But life is tough, or it makes you tough, and soon I realized my heart would be broken too many times by the time I reach an old age. Slowly, I built a thin shell around my heart. Although it is not hard to get through it, I sometimes wish it did not exist. These past months have been eye-opening for me, and I see myself and every human being around me suffering, all with sick souls; fear has taken control. Fear of vulnerability, honesty, love, and of the chance of getting hurt. This fear holds us back, makes us miss out, increases feelings of anxiety or depression, and makes us overthink. This makes me wonder, what is there to lose?
Do not let the fear of having things end prevent them from ever beginning. Don’t get caught up in the ‘what-if’s. Don’t be afraid to show that you care. Life is not a contest of “who gives less fucks,” it’s about courageously caring.
Of course, many times, things do not work out as you expected them to. You might get into a fight with your parents over something you hoped they would support you with, you might not get along with whom you thought was going to be your best friend, or you might not fall crazily in love as you wanted to. And this happened when you were a kid, then a teenager, then a young adult, and it will continue to happen as you age, because that is how life is. All we truly have to give to others is time and love. These are the greatest riches of the world, so why would we want to keep them for ourselves? Why not share them with others? We lose so much more when we keep love for ourselves (when selfishness becomes unhealthy) instead of saving our love or protecting ourselves.
When someone hurts us, our human nature makes us want to hurt this person back. Although it is understandable and maybe justified, it is just not right. When someone hurts us, our instinct is to back away and close off, protecting ourselves from danger. And when you’ve been hurt too much, or too many times, all you might want is to never love again. Love is dangerous, and there is no way to ever be sure you won’t be hurt, but it’s part of its beauty. So, take care and know your limits, but also get hurt. It sounds like bad advice, but it’s better to love and be heartbroken than to never love.
My message to you today is to just love. Love your friends, your family, your siblings, your parents, the ones you admire, the ones you like. Do not let the fear of being hurt stop you from opening up. Do not let the fear of having things end prevent them from ever beginning. Don’t get caught up in the ‘what-if’s. Don’t be afraid to show that you care. Life is not a contest of “who gives less fucks,” it’s about courageously caring.
Side Note: Take care of your heart and your soul. Give, but remember that you deserve to get back from people. Consider who you give to, not everyone is able to be grateful or appreciate you, and that’s their own fault. And, overall, love fearlessly.