Being under the weather for a short period granted me time to get lost in the jungle of my mind as I process new information. Lately, I have been reading and listening to a lot of both audio and physical books, as well as podcasts. I have a unique habit of gathering knowledge wherever there is knowledge being provided. At times it can be too much, and without an exit for that storm to use, the fog can grow, which is why this site exists. Most of my posts are light-hearted and warm, however, this journal is a bit cold and dark. Due to life not always having sunshine and rainbows, we need to open our minds and hearts to the hardships of life.
I feel most connected to my faith during the fall and winter months, therefore I often write outside when possible, and on this day, I could feel the cool autumn breath of Jörð (earth) swiftly blowing through. To me, it is a time of change, a reminder of the darkness that is soon to arrive, both physically with the days getting shorter and mentally, these coming months can be a struggle due to the bitter-sweet memories that most of us generate this time of year. It is a time when the veil between life and death becomes its thinnest, and it can be a lot for one mind to process because our minds are not fortified as well as they should be. It is just as important to prepare your mind for hardship as one prepares for an interview or a championship match.
Multiple books and podcasts that I occupy my time with have said that one way you can live a more fulfilling life is to accept and prepare for the dark times that life will require all of us to go through. I wish that I had just learned that from those sources, however, I learned that the hard way and at a young age. I am thankful for learning this harsh lesson the way I did, for even though it put me through hell and at times still does, I am gaining a stronger soul and, more importantly, a well-prepared Hugr (mind). I think people today are not paying full attention to what actually counts in life because they are busy working to provide for their family, as one should be doing, or are being spoon-fed distractions by something with a screen, and/or have a mindset of “Oh, that will never happen to me” Then when life eventually throws any amount of darkness at them, they crumble up and nose dive into a dark hole. that, at durations, can take a long time to climb out of or, worse, never escape it. This is why it is crucial to take even a moment to think about this when we can.
I like to think that there are two halves to one key that may unlock the door to a beautiful and fulfilled life. The first half is to accept that there will be dark times in our lives and to do our best to prepare for them. Ask yourself what will you need to do when that time comes. What questions do I have now about X that way, when Y occurs, I can be ready to tackle that beast down. The second half, though it might be too dark, is accepting that our time on this earth will end one day. I, as well as others, are reminded of this during the holidays because those of whom we have lost will be on our minds. If one accepts that, then one has the opportunity to see the beauty that life has and is being taken for granted. I am aware that this might be a little much for some, but still, we all want to enjoy this gift of life, and to do so, is to have the power to find the light that comes enclosed in the darkness.
“Every man has two lives, and the second starts when he realizes he has just one”—Confucius.
Peyton.
