You may not write worth beans, or rice for that matter, but you are a storyteller. While your tale is shaded differently from all others, there is a constant, as unwavering as the sun, moon and stars. It is that simple truth that you hold life in your hands.
For each man pens his own life story. Every word he writes is up to him.
Despite influences, be they good, bad or indifferent, we are one for one, responsible for the decisions we make on every page. We are authors of our speech, architects of our desires, creators of our dreams, originators of our emotions, and we are the designer of our deeds and of our misdeeds.
When our book closes for the very last time, will it have a happy ending? Will we know in our heart of hearts we did our best to fulfill our dreams and bring good will to others? Did we slay those villains called Criticism, Regret, and Blame? Does self-respect remain? Answers and responsibility for living a good life or a bad one rest squarely on our own frail shoulders.
While this truth often goes unnoticed, hidden by the activities and problems of day-to-day living, perhaps it finally finds credence when we reach the brink of adulthood or teeter on the edge of death.
But such philosophical underpinnings of life can and should be introduced at the youngest of age. Every child deserves to know it. No child should grow up thinking someone else is to blame for what he does or what he thinks. His parents, teachers and other adults in his life should make it known to him that he is capable of changing his own circumstances. Even before reaching school age, children can be taught a bit of responsibility and encouraged to practice acts of kindness.
It is a child’s job to learn academics so he can succeed in later life. He should know that if he needs help, he must seek it. If help arrives, he must avail himself of it. If others need his help, it is in his hands to give it or not.
He is the guiding force behind his own actions.
But what do we do when tragedy or disaster writes itself in our book? How do we prepare our children or ourselves for such sorrow? Is there a way to outwit misfortune?
Yes, indeed! By holding fast to the knowledge that even when a bad hand is dealt, we are still master over how we play the hand.
Acknowledge mental suffering when you must, but at the same time insist on a positive attitude. We are living breathing examples for our children. Let them see us vanquish disappointment with accomplishment, conquer sadness with humor, and wipe our tears with upbeat music or physical activity. Tracking our footprints, they too will write pages of happiness.
Men, women and children, we are ultimate cause over our own actions, cause over our own emotions. We are authors, everyone.
