Ultimately, Live with Love by Mayumi

Ultimately, Live with Love by Mayumi - July 2025 Scholarship Essay

If I could give my past self advice, I’d tell them this: Stop living for the validation of others, if you lose your identity, there’s nothing real for others to grasp; let your tether to this world be the people you love; and be kind and filled with passion.
Don’t lose yourself to conform to society’s standard of normal and desirable, for it only provides you a mask that prevents anyone from knowing your heart; be yourself for yourself. Putting up a ruse to infiltrate social spaces doesn’t make you a part of that loving community. It makes you a person wearing something else’s skin. Countless times I’ve made myself smaller, eager to please, more “normal”. It has only exhausted me. It’s depressing to be “loved” by people who don’t know you. I’m tired of crawling on hands and knees to gain some semblance of affection from people who don’t truly care. My need for attention has led me to become reckless with my words, addicted to oversharing, and obsessed with social media likes. I try to remedy this by limiting time online, creating online spaces that are just for me, and by writing in a diary. In these private alcoves, I’ve learned to only share things that are worth sharing, not performative words for the sake of appealing to an audience. I curb my oversharing tendencies by talking to myself, allowing me to think rationally and keep safe. Now, I only post what makes me happy. Now, I unabashedly express my passions. People who treat you poorly when you’re indulging in your true self and heart are not worth your time. Don’t appeal to those who don’t want you, just so you won’t be “alone”; you will still be alone. Learning to live for myself rather than for others’ attention has been monumental in reducing the dread and despair that controlled my life. Embracing every part of yourself regardless of what society touts as desirable is what will fulfill you, because when you do, not only will you feel real, but the people who stick around you will have also chosen the real you.
The people you love are the people who will give you the motivation to live. The future is not often something I want to be a part of, due to the stresses of adult life, our crumbling government and economy, a growing lack of empathy in society, and my own persisting negative views of myself. But the people I love have changed me. Recently, I had another fit of admiration for a dear friend. She was rambling about her favorite book, and this was at the time she had finally begun opening up to me, sharing more about herself where she used to be the quiet listener. It was an honor to be trusted with her heart. At that moment, I had the revelation that if living meant being able to bask in her smile, her laughter, witness her happiness, then I wanted to live for a long, long time. Living for loved ones also means being alive for their physical, emotional, and financial benefit. I love my family. I want to be able to help them achieve their dreams, to give them respite after working so hard. I need to be alive to support them. Even if I don’t cherish myself, I cherish them. My friends and my family propel me forward.
The last value I live by is to be kind and to live with passion. My loved ones are what I use to amplify my happiness, to strengthen the whimsy and joy I infuse into my every day. I indulge in my friends’ hobbies and interests, because they need to know I love them. I have deep conversations with my family, I hug them, and kiss my siblings’ cheeks, because they need to know I adore them. In addition to making it clear to your loved ones that you care, it’s important to spread this love to the world. Society is losing empathy so quickly. People are becoming crueler, more selfish, and unbothered by others’ suffering. Humanity should be characterized by joy, peace, and community. I’m just one person, but everyone’s actions culminate. I have chosen to prioritize artists. As an artist myself, I know how important being praised for one’s effort is. Hearing praise and gratitude provides more long-lasting motivation to keep working than mere likes and retweets do. Every day, I compliment artists; no matter whether they’re beginners or veterans, or whether it’s a doodle or a full blown masterpiece. Please spread kindness. Live sweetly and with passion in your heart, and the world will become better for it.
These are the values I live by: live your truth, let your loved ones give you the strength to persevere, and express kindness and passion always. I wish my younger self had known this. I wish that I didn’t grow to be as insecure and stressed out as I have. But reality is not stagnant. These are values that are applicable to any age and adaptable to any situation. My past self will never experience the joy of true friendship or living passionately, but my current and future self has and will. In this life that will try to beat you down, the best thing you can do for yourself and for others is to live with love.