Words To Live By by John

Words To Live By by John - February 2014 Scholarship Essay

A woman rises before the sun to go to work to provide food for her children. A man walking home on a lonely street is stopped, and robbed of the wages he fought so hard to win. With this one act the mugger has deprived a man of rent, and food for his family. This world we live in is filled with terrible woes such as crime, poverty, and starvation. These are only a drop in the greater pond of sins that exist in daily life. Most people can ignore the darkness that thrives in shadow, because they are not confronted by it like so many others.

A quote that has always seemed to fit the world we live in is, "It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light," (Aristotle Onassis). All the woes that plague this world create hard times for people who do not deserve them. That is why this quote fits so well. In those moments, that woman, feels bone weary, and tired, but instead of focusing on the struggle, she instead focuses on the light. The thought of her children getting enough food to make them happy, sustains her. That man has just lost hours of hard work in one instant. If he focuses on the dark he will never earn back what was lost. If he instead focuses on the light, on a happy family who has shelter and food, he will find the strength to go back and work for what he needs.

There are words that fit every situation. Words that weave through the fabric of reality, and just seem to fit perfectly with each moment. This quote is that way for the world. There are two cosmic forces always straining to gain the upper hand, and because of this they create a certain type of balance we live by. Everyone has a choice to make. Do they focus on the light or the dark?

Every man or woman on Earth can look back at their own lives, and see the dark moments they suffered through. It is likely that they found a way to keep struggling by focusing on the light at the end of the tunnel. The darkness is what makes you able to focus on the light, which would be impossible without the contrast between both. Darkness exists because of light, and vice versa. This quote has words to live by. Words that should be kept in mind when going through life, and can shield your mind from being consumed by the problems in this world.