Through Doubts to Passions, Through Hardships to the Stars

Since the dawn of human existence, life has undoubtedly remained the most enigmatic of phenomena a subject of debate that has never ceased, nor ever will. Some have viewed this curious architecture through the prism of faith, while others have confined their gaze within the boundaries of a secular worldview. Still others have examined its strangeness through the lives of their predecessors and the weight of their own experiences. There have always been those, of course, who sought to decipher life’s mystery through the written word. A courageous minority, however, looked incessantly toward the heavens for answers. Today, we shall interpret life from a different vantage point entirelyone that neither echoes these familiar tones nor exists in an entirely separate dimension.

For in explaining this curious journey, we can neither remain distant from the heavens nor ignore the divine decrees. Nor, of course, can we separate our own lived experiences from it. Regardless of what others recount to us, or how extensively the human condition is discussed, an individual ultimately experiences their own life; it is impossible to conceive of existence independently of that experience. This is precisely why such conflicting views on life emerge. Every gaze and every eye perceives the world uniquely, interpreting what it beholds in its own distinct way. Indeed, this is precisely what makes life so singularly unique.

For every individual, life is akin to a theatrical performance viewed through a myriad of different windows. This is the very reason why humanity has never reached a consensus on the matter, and why the discourse has persisted for millennia. Perspective is perhaps the most vital possession one can hold; for it is often the singular force capable of altering the trajectory of an entire life. We observe individuals living under nearly identical circumstances, yet while some find profound contentment, others find themselves teetering on the brink of despair. Indeed, we often witness those of far humbler means possessing a sense of fulfillment that eludes those with seemingly boundless resources.

Why, then, does life manifest as a harrowing dungeon for some, while for others, it unfolds as a journey steeped in adventure? The primary cause of this disparity lies in the manner in which humanity perceives and interprets existence. In essence, it is a matter of perspective a phenomenon we often encounter within our own lives. In moments of distress, a home that usually brings us profound comfort can suddenly begin to feel like a prison. This shift does not stem from external adversities themselves; rather, it is triggered by our internal reactions to those events. In reality, no individual possesses the inherent power to inflict sorrow or cause another to suffer. We alone grant others the authority to wound us.

We must, however, set apart those of a noble disposition; for they are, as Descartes once observed: ‘entirely masters of their desires, of jealousy, and of envy for there is nothing they deem worthy of desire that is not already within their own power to attain. They are masters of animosity, for they hold all of humanity in high regard. They are masters of fear, for the trust they place in their own virtue provides them with steadfast confidence. And finally, they are masters of anger; placing so little value on things dependent upon others, they never grant their enemies the superiority of knowing they have even been offended.

When we begin to love something, the significance we bestow upon it expands, occasionally reaching a scale where the sheer intensity of our affection causes us to project non-existent qualities onto a person, an object, or a place. In doing so, our perception undergoes a profound transformation. This subject of devotion might be a person, an event, a location, or even a fleeting dream. Consequently, when this established equilibrium is disturbed be it through a falling out with that person, a forced departure from a beloved city, or the loss of a treasured gift we are struck by a sorrow of immense magnitude. Under ordinary circumstances, this grief would have remained dormant; however, by altering our perspective, we magnified the meaning inherent in these things, thereby sculpting the very sorrow we endure upon their loss.

Yet, we frequently invite the opposite effect by narrowing the scope of our vision. In truth, it is we who obstruct our own capacity to perceive the intrinsic essence of life and creation. Many of us have never ventured to alter our perspective in an attempt to grasp the core of existence. Were we to do so, the significance of life would be entirely redefined for us. Just as William Blake eloquently put it:

To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour.

Let us, then, collectively attempt to shift our gaze; to begin, as Blake did, to hold infinity within the palm of our hands. For the very perspective capable of elevating humanity to a different dimension allowing us to grasp the essence of existence is rooted in this very realization. Humanity has been endowed with a singular gift, one of which few among us are truly aware. In the act of creation, the Divine breathed His own spirit into the soul of man. It is a promised benediction a gift that bestows infinite grace upon us without diminishing the Source in the slightest. Mankind is far more than a mere frail vessel; the Divine has granted each of us a soul, secreting within it a multitude of passions, each as distinct and peerless as the next.

While the soul is in itself the most precious endowment granted to mankind, the Divine did not stop there, embedding hidden treasures within its depths for our discovery. By expanding the scope of our vision, we come to realize that we have been bequeathed infinity, recognizing that life is by no means a journey that terminates at the threshold of death. Death is but a passage a preliminary step into an eternity where our essence continues to flourish. Ultimately, the key to recognizing life as an unparalleled gift lies in our capacity to fully internalize this realization.

This is precisely what bridges the gap between our anxieties and our passions. It begins with the realization that the existence granted to us is far from one-dimensional and requires becoming truly attuned to our own soul. Only through this path can one construct a foundation of unshakeable self-respect and inherent worth. Confidence built solely upon our own merits remains fragile; it can be rattled or even dismantled by any other individual. Yet, discovering the extraordinary power bestowed upon us by a divine force serves as the ultimate catalyst as we navigate the architecture of our own identity.

As we become conscious of our own soul and begin to gaze upon life through the dignified poise this awareness affords, the other gifts granted to us by the divine come into focus: our passions. The sequence of these steps is of paramount importance; for while one might stumble upon their inherent passions by chance, without a foundation of unshakeable self-worth and confidence, they will often refrain from pursuing them. There is no doubt that countless talents have been squandered in this manner, and myriad lives have been lived far below the peak of their inherent potential.

One must bestow upon oneself an unshakeable sense of worth, for the Creator has already affirmed that value by granting the gift of life. When this state of awareness and perspective begins to take root within an individual, fears and anxieties gradually dissolve, making way for hope and resilience. Indeed, the root of the psychological distress so prevalent in the modern era, particularly the surge in anxiety disorders, often lies in our failure to cultivate this specific vantage point. Far too often, we mistake our existence for a mere collection of daily routines, permitting the weight of mundane preoccupations to trap us within a cycle of stagnation.

Many of us perpetually wonder how to navigate the path from anxiety to passion, or from hardship to the stars; yet, remarkably few of us ever truly lift our gaze to behold those stars. Though we acknowledge the spiritual essence of our being, we far too often treat ourselves as mere clockwork mechanisms. Ask yourself now: When was the last time you lay upon a hillside and simply observed the sky? When was the last time you watched the dance of deep blue mists as they wove through the trees? When was the last time you kept rhythm with a bird’s melody or listened to the low murmur of an owl? When did you last realize that you are an integral part of this universe, all of which was brought into existence for you?

How then shall we discern that we have truly found our way, and at what moment can we be certain that our soul has joined the universe in its harmonious dance? To find this answer, we must turn to the wisdom of Rudyard Kipling:

“If you can keep your head when all about you   

    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

    But make allowance for their doubting too;   

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

    Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

    And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;   

    If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;   

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

    And treat those two impostors just the same;   

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

    And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

    And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

    And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

    To serve your turn long after they are gone,   

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

    Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,   

    Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

    If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

    With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,   

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,”