“Nothing’s for sure, that’s for sure”
One day, as I sat at my study table jotting down the things I had to do for the day, it occurred to me that the idea of uncertainty in life has always made me feel uncomfortable. That is when I realised that 90 per cent of my anxiety is for things I have no control over.
Some common questions that all high-schoolers can relate to are — will I be able to get appealing grades? What if my brain goes blank during tomorrow’s test? Will I be able to cope up with coaching? Will I get into an up-to-par college? What will I do in life? Will I be happy with what I do?
Similarly, there is a myriad of other questions stirring in our minds related to personal life as well as other segments of life. But what’s the feeling you get when you ponder upon these questions? For me, it seems as if a huge black cloud is hovering over me. When I think of the future, I don’t see a clear picture, all I can see is a blank canvas.
The thing about “uncertainty” that makes most of us, in fact, all of us, feel uncomfortable, is the fear of the unknown, the fear of not knowing what lies ahead. Walking on the path of life is like walking on a risky terrain with a blindfold on. You have this constant fear instilled in you that you might fall into a ditch.
We make daily schedules, follow strict routines—all this is just because we like knowing what to expect. We feel comfortable knowing that we have something to look forward to, but when we lose control over it—. we get stressed out and break apart.
What if you woke up one day, and at that very moment, all certainty in life was taken away from you? What if you were placed on a blank canvas and had to paint your life as you go? How would you feel?
You’d regret keeping yourself from painting the canvas pretty, just because you had the fear of uncertainty. Surely uncertainty comes with risk but what if you end up liking what previously remained unexplored? What if you reach a point on the terrain that overlooks a breathtaking view? That’s when you would realise that the risk was worth it.
There must be some people in your life who you met as strangers, unaware of their intentions, their nature or their behaviour. But, now they are an important part of your life, without whom you can’t possibly imagine your existence. It is because you went past your fear of uncertainty and became ready to deal with the risk, that you have such precious people in your life.
Not all risks result in negative outcomes. All the risks you’ve taken up to this point have brought all those things and people into your life that you have today. Or maybe all the risks taken have led you to eliminate what has been toxic in your life.
The truth of life is that it goes on, whether you choose to move on and take a chance into the unknown or stay behind, locked in the past, thinking of what could’ve been. The uncertainty in your life should get you thinking about the constants of your life.
Being aware of the unpredictability of life, we should not waste any moment fighting with those who we love, we should stop stressing over things that don’t matter, we should embrace the present and not worry about the future or regret about the past and lastly, rather than being disheartened by the ambiguity of life, we should accept it. The one who accepts the ambiguity of life is the one who masters how to swim in the ocean of uncertainty and the one who learns how to swim in the ocean of uncertainty is the one who opens up countless opportunities in life and lives the best of it.
– Ishani Singh, Amity International School, Noida
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