Remind Yourself

We must always remind ourselves to live a greater purpose in life. My school has so many grade-focused individuals. Most of them are incredibly capable people who can manage their grades, extra-curriculars, sports, and quality relationships. But most of us cannot balance everything, or at least we haven't learned how to. Balance is difficult to achieve in life. When we can't balance, we must prioritize.

Priorities are a temporary way to get through the gunk of life. Unfortunately I have been living in prioritizing mode for the better of the last two months. It is not very fulfilling, although it helps to bring perspective into life and get things done. But you are limited by your list. Sometimes the list actually manifests itself into a crazy obsession such as what I deal with, constantly trying to fill up the list so I feel like I am "doing" something. However I feel strained to complete the endless tasks and I never feel accomplished by just writing down my list of to dos.

The most important thing to do is to live beyond the homework, the lists, the planners, the grades, the test scores. To live for a greater purpose is far more fulfilling. I have been inspired by many things in my life and I always feel slightly guilty learning about the misfortunate who have far more courage and meaning in their lives than I do. However I am mostly inspired by these stories. One night I was looking for a better understanding of life in South Africa and I stumbled on this blog: http://livinglifebreathlessly.blogspot.com/

For one thing, I was surprised not to find a blog about the culture of South Africa, but of a girl's struggle with cystic fibrosis and her new lungs she received, allowing her to breathe. I cannot get a sense of what life would be like without breathing. But this girl had to live with shallow breaths for much of life, afflicted with a miserable disease, and still survived. Again I feel slightly guilty, but this girl doesn't want to guilt people, rather she wants to inspire us to live better lives. She writes about her daily life like the rest of us bloggers, and that inspires her because living a normal life is her only dream.

So, don't forget how powerful life is just as it is. Be thankful for what you have now. You may feel miserable at the moment, but take it in and put your life in perspective. Be inspired by people like Alice with cystic fibrosis just hoping to go to the local braai (Afrikaans for bbq), and finally able to because she can breathe.

Breathing. So fundamental, yet some people don't have the chance to do so.

"Breathe Me (Remix)" - Sia



Always inspired by this song, and now I found a remix! Always a new flair to this touching music.