when you can’t stick to one thing
Lost somewhere in the archives, is this piece. Written sometime last year (2023), this short read was part of a series of posts designed for the creative. Or for the ones who take everything up and dream of being everyone they can imagine. I have dusted the cobwebs off the paragraphs and wiped it clean for this week’s submission. Enjoy.
Last month, I had some spare time as I sat on a couch. So, I played an episode of "Life on Earth" and became enraptured by its beauty. Mesmerised by the graphics and visuals, I was transported back to my childhood, recalling the wonder I felt watching similar shows on the Discovery Channel and its various offshoots. The sight of polar bears in the wild or a snake as green as a leaf slithering in the branches never failed to amaze me. Lions chasing antelopes, tearing their necks apart and stirring a primal excitement within me. Yet, upon the recent viewing, as the episode drew to a close and the screen turned black, I found myself unimpressed.
Watching "Walker, Texas Ranger" would spark dreams of becoming a policeman or bounty hunter. Riding a bicycle around the estate would ignite fantasies of delivering newspapers. Attending class would inspire thoughts of becoming a teacher while buying a packet of street-deep-fried fries would conjure visions of becoming a chef, the allure of having all the fries in the world to oneself proving irresistible. It was a simpler time when the belief that one could be anything prevailed. A time when a friend's declaration of aspiring to be an astronaut or a girl's assertion of becoming the next Secretary-General of the UN seemed entirely plausible. It was an era when the realm of possibilities stretched endlessly before us, where boys would playfully grapple, imagining themselves as the next Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Looking back now, I mull over what extinguished those lofty dreams. Was it the attainment of a certain age, that unlocked a secondary awareness? Was it a particular class where a teacher instilled a sense of disillusionment? Or was it the gradual fading of the gleam in the eyes of our parents, friends, and loved ones whenever we dreamt loudly around them?
What remains indisputable is that the grandiose dreams of embodying any persona we desired were pruned, akin to the meticulous trimming of hedges in a Kitisuru mansion. I yearn for researchers to attend parent-teacher conferences, and to scrutinise the "future career" sections of children's reports. I am curious to know at what age the audacious dreams of children are eclipsed by more conventional aspirations.
However, let me be clear; I do not harbour disdain for the lawyers and doctors of the world. They serve as custodians of societal function, propelling progress, regulating behaviour, and fostering social evolution. Their role is indispensable.
Yet, I implore consideration for the intermediary realm, where doctors become artists, engineers metamorphose into lawyers, and lawyers emerge as innovators. It is within these junctures that new possibilities germinate. We require preachers who invest in architectural development, poets capable of drafting constitutions, and authors who devote years to mastering a singular field. They do not churn out hefty textbooks but craft fictional sci-fi pieces deserving of accolades.
Have you ever considered the profound implications behind the adage that the graveyard is the richest place on Earth?
This notion struck me recently as I walked past schoolchildren on my way home. I mused over the myriad potential solutions for curing cancer, languishing within the minds of individuals toiling in the mines of Congo. I fret over the abundance of untapped energy solutions, concealed within the psyche of a woman constrained within the confines of her home in Palestine. While these examples may seem extreme, I beseech you to reflect on your circumstances. How much-untapped potential lies dormant within you, extinguished over the years, thus depriving the world of your warmth?
Let us ground ourselves in reality. Two forces collide with equal ferocity, akin to atoms in a nuclear fusion reactor: Opportunity and Fear. These contrasting powers thwart our true potential.
Opportunity, while seemingly promising, poses a formidable threat. Economic disparities, racism, sexism, institutionalised discrimination, environmental degradation, faltering educational systems, corruption — these realities are as tangible as the fabric draped over your shoulders as you read this. They exert control beyond our influence. While you may stand on the precipice of a groundbreaking discovery, the voracity of corporations, hungry to preserve their profits, remains insurmountable. You may possess unparalleled musical talent, yet find yourself born amidst the chaos of war.
If you are perusing this article, you are not devoid of the fundamental necessities that might otherwise impede your progress. These challenges do not define your predicament. We are unified in this struggle. Opportunities ebb and flow, more accessible for some than for others. Privilege is undeniable, and it is imperative to leverage it to its fullest extent. However, opportunities often arise from existing problems. For instance, standing out amidst poverty with a well-crafted article, a meticulously edited video, or a visually captivating portfolio underscores the potency of your work.
Opportunities are optimised through knowledge. You possess resources surpassing those available to any predecessors. Your access to scientific information exceeds that of Isaac Newton. Your understanding of democratic intricacies surpasses that of Socrates. Consequently, you are not constrained by opportunity. You are not a mere pawn in the theatre of war. You are fortified, and shielded from these challenges. While you may be embroiled in a different, perhaps bloodier conflict than others, you are not paralysed by fear.
Fear serves as your inhibitor, be it fear of failure, success, the unknown, or the known. Evolution has ingrained within us a reverence for fear, a mechanism designed to protect us from harm. It propels us away from danger towards safety. Yet, fear constrains us, compelling us to retreat from our dreams. Comfort becomes our refuge, impeding any semblance of progress. Resistance looms omnipresent: time whispers of the insurmountable learning curve; society chides us for veering off the beaten path; our bodies rebel against the arduous journey. Sometimes, the greatest resistance emanates from within — self-doubt, self-loathing, and self-destructive tendencies ensnare us in their grasp. We become enslaved by our desires, captives of our own creation. What a tragic fate befalls us.
One solution emerges, glaringly apparent. It stares back at you every day, reflected in the mirror, reverberating with the timbre of your voice. The crux of the issue lies in confronting it head-on. Fearlessness is not a prerequisite; fear will perpetually linger. However, succumbing to fear does not preclude action. Fear often stems from a profound love for that which we strive to achieve. Such awareness is poetic and beautiful. Embrace the vitality it bestows upon you, revel in the profundity of self-awareness. Acknowledge the challenges ahead and the obstacles to surmount. Celebrate the journey, for therein lies the essence of existence.
How fulfilling it is to set a goal and persevere despite the hurdles encountered along the way. How remarkable to tread the same earth, breathe the same air, yet etch a unique narrative amidst the billions who have traversed these paths. How gratifying it is to defy the odds and embrace the uncertainties of life. Those who dare to try are the true beneficiaries of existence. Stagnation breeds regret, a fate far more harrowing than the challenges of the unknown. Preserve the spark in your eye, and rekindle the courage that once defined you.
Recapture the audacity of youth, for you now have far more at stake — your youth, your life, your dreams, your happiness. Fight as if everything hangs in the balance, for indeed, it does. This journey belongs to you; navigating it cloaked in apprehension obstructs your ability to savour the world's richness. Embrace the challenge, heed the call from within, and illuminate the path for those around you.
