Have you ever stepped into a phase of life where you think the only option you can choose is giving up?

It feels like... you already give your very best, but it’s still insufficient. And everything that revolves around you is pushing you to the edge, making you question yourself, "Oh, what should I do now?". It sucks, I know. But growing up sometimes sucks and we need to give it a try, no?

Now I am pursuing my degree in Psychology major, and there are days when I feel like things become unbearable. Do I cry? Absolutely. I feel like everyone is running, taking their very big big big step toward their final destination, meanwhile, I need to drag my feet with a tiny step. I know that life isn’t about competing, everyone walks on their special path that was already written by God 50.000 years ago. But my capacity as a human being keeps questioning why everyone is rushing. Yesterday, I cried out loud, so loud. Until I talked to my best friend, and she said something I never thought I needed to hear.

"Have you ever heard a story about the boy and the donkey?" She asked.

"Once upon a time, a boy was riding on his donkey. They want to go to the palace. All the time, the boy sat upon his donkey, he never walked alone by his feet. A moment later, the boy finally could see the palace from afar, and he yelled, "Look! I see the palace! So, we are going to reach our destination, don’t we?", asked the little boy."

"The donkey nodded and said, "Can you walk alone with your feet? We are about to reach our finish line." The donkey said. The boy confidently said yes. So they walked together, but the boy wasn’t riding on it anymore. They walked and walked and walked, facing one and two obstacles around the road, until the boy was tired and decided to give up."

"The boy said, "I want to give up. It is so tiring. I don’t know which path to take! There are just so many obstacles. I can’t stand it! Can I just ride you again, please?" He was begging while crying. But the donkey refused the task. The donkey said, "You want to give up by now? Do you know how many obstacles we’ve faced before while you rode on me? We faced many more than these. The hill and valley, the deep river, the cliff, things were more unbearable than this. But did I choose to give up? No. Because I need to take you to the palace." Said the donkey."

"Then, the donkey continued, "Every step in front of you is becoming your choice since you agreed to go to the palace and set it as your destination. You need to take the step, no matter how hard it is, or how big the obstacle is. You are responsible for that. Just because everything now seems unbearable and makes you tired, giving up is never an option, Kid. Don’t waste your journey until you step into this phase now. Keep going, just keep going." The donkey said it wisely."

I sobbed after she told me that story. It became my happy pill after that long and tiring day. I feel like finally finding the light again after a long period of blackout. So, no matter how your heart is grieving now, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish for will come true. A bad day never lasts forever, I try to believe in that. Well, that is a little story I can share today. I need to work on my project back, please send me your greatest luck.

I wish you happiness wherever you are.