Avoid This Mistake for a Happy Life
Life moves quickly, and you don’t want to regret it.
People say that as you get older, life seems to go faster and faster. While that may be true, I’d like to point something out.
My childhood went by quickly.
Maybe a bit too quickly.
It seems like only yesterday that I was pulled by my parents to school on the first day, or that I mustered the courage to step on an escalator for the very first time.
But then here I am at 15 years old, sitting at my desk, bent over like the Hunchback of Notre, and typing an article on my computer.
I understand that I’m still young and that I’ve got plenty more years to add.
And I’m not complaining about the length of my childhood.
It’s just that I’ve realized something I failed to appreciate for a very long time. I think most people fail to appreciate it as well.
It’s this:
My parents have loved me and always will, and they’ve always done and wanted what’s best for me.
I regret that I haven’t realized this earlier, and that I haven’t been thanking my parents as much as they deserve.
I haven’t been giving back the same love that they’ve given to me throughout my life.
And I think many of you who read this are in the same boat as I am, whether it be your parents or other close people.
Consider this: in most cases, loved ones are the closest thing to us as we grow — we share our homes, emotion, thoughts, moments, and meals with them.
So, why do we fail to recognize the good that they do?
It’s a little voice in our heads called the ego.
The ego creeps up onto our shoulders, climbs in our ears, and hisses very softly, “No! They’re wrong, they’re always wrong! But you, my dear human friend, are right — always right!”
Even when we’re wrong.
As a result, we drift away from appreciating the good our parents give, and we focus instead on criticizing their hiccups and anything else we disagree with.
We then start being annoyed with them more and more often. We separate ourselves further and further away from them.
And by that time, it’s already too late.
It’s regretful to fail recognizing our parents’ good intentions. But, it’s even more regretful to refuse the opportunities they try giving us.
For example, my parents put in unimaginable effort to negotiate me into attending music lessons, extra schooling in math, badminton training, and many more.
It took over 2 years for me to be convinced (…or forced, coerced, etc.) to begin studying music, and over one year each for math and badminton.
By now, I excel in each of those fields, as well as others — that tells me my parents really wanted the best for me.
They were right.
And I was wrong.
The time to abandon each of our naughty egos is now. “Next time” may already be too late.
Our close ones give us so much love and goodness throughout our lives.
It’s time to give some of that love and goodness back.
Whether it be your parents, friends, spouses, or mentors, appreciate their existence. Give them thanks and a warm-hearted embrace.
Because if you don’t do it now, you’ll regret later on.
Life goes by fast, you know.
