Sometimes Life Isn't What It Seems

It has been a long time since I felt so defeated. But today, on my walk home from work in the pouring rain, I realized you cannot control what happens to you, but you can control the way you think about all the events.

You always have a choice. You can choose to face them with a positive mental attitude and come back stronger or with negativity, which will make everything worse. I chose this day to be an example for myself and face this challenge head-on with optimism.

The rain finally stopped before I finished my walk. It was a little cloudy and humid when I arrived home, but I could still feel the heat of the sun, and it felt nice. I put on my favorite summer dress and slipped into a pair of sandals. I went for a walk to enjoy the weather for the last summer day of the year. I walked to the beach, listening to my music and looking at the sky. The sun was setting. It was a breathtaking view.

I passed a couple arm in arm, holding each other closely. In the middle of my chest I could feel the familiarity of the affection. I stopped to look at them. They seemed so happy and in love. A pang of sadness passed through me and then I thought, no, you don’t deserve to feel sorry for yourself. A better feeling came over me as I realized these two people reminded me of what I am missing in my own life.

You cannot change the past. You can be honest about your feelings, but you cannot change them. So I accepted them, find a positive meaning in them and move on. Sometimes in life we have to try harder than others. It’s when our backs are against the wall that we find out what we’re made of. I need to know that I’m made of something stronger than this feeling of grief and abandonment.

I kept walking for a few more minutes and then sat on the next bench I saw. I fixed my hair and put on some pink lipstick. I put my sunglasses on and looked over at the couple I saw on the way there. They seemed like the happiest people in the world. I thought about the way I felt when I saw them previously. It was a better feeling. Now, I could almost feel the happiness they shared.

I decided it was time for me to feel alive again. I had been feeling sad and lonely for too long. I have grown accustomed to this feeling of such emptiness, and I cannot allow my life to stay this way forever. I decided today, on my walk to the beach, would be the day I started changing my life. I looked up into the beautiful sky and allowed myself to feel the sun on my face. It was such a peaceful moment.

I remembered when I was little, my parents took me to the beach every single day in the summer. It was such a wonderful tradition and one of my most favorite memories. We would get up early, make breakfast to-go, pack up a lunch and spend the entire day next to the ocean. It was so relaxing to see and hear the ocean waves and the beach wind every morning. I loved the feel of the cool water on my feet in the morning.

I scanned the landscape and took in the scenery. I saw all the couples and families that were sharing their day. Then I saw him. There was a man sitting alone. He sat there, not moving. Although I guessed this resulted from hopelessness and depression.

I felt strong and brave enough to go to him and confront the problem. I strolled towards him, and as I walked, my heels clanked. He didn’t look up. I was proud of myself for coming up with such a clever idea. I sat across from him and looked straight into his eyes. He looked homeless. He had a few days of beard, his clothes were dirty, and he smelled bad.

I looked away.

I wanted to help him. But I didn’t know what he needed. I thought about the feeling in my chest again, and this time I felt stronger than before. I took off my heels and sat down next to him, reminding myself of why I was there. He had been sitting with his head down. When he looked up, his eyes looked tired. He looked depressed, like he had been crying. When he realized he was being watched. He looked down again, but I kept my eyes on him.

Suddenly, I felt like a different person, stronger, braver, and ready to help.

We sat there in the warm sunshine, listening to the wind and the waves. I said there is something I want to share with you:

“I want to tell you a secret about life, life is not always what it seems. Life can be uncertain. Sometimes life goes through hard times. Life can be scary and dangerous, but we must not let it get the better of us. We must believe in ourselves and hope for our future.”

It surprised me at how quickly a simple action could bring an unexpected change in someone.

I smiled at him, and he moved to sit next to me. I asked him what was wrong, and he started talking. I could tell that he was embarrassed. I didn’t judge him.

He said that he was alone and didn’t know what to do. His wife died in a car accident a few years ago and he lost his home because of the bills. Now he couldn’t find work because he didn’t have a phone number or an address.

He was homeless, but he didn’t like to call himself a bum. This was his pride.

I realized I could help this man. I had to do something. I had gone from feeling alone and hopeless to feeling strong, giving, and happy. I knew I was being selfish and impulsive, but I couldn’t let it go.

I looked at him. For the first time, I noticed that the bags under his eyes were full of wrinkles. He seemed to be older than I first thought. I felt sadness for him, and I felt a deep sense of empathy for someone who had suffered so much.

I smiled at him, and he looked down. He only needed someone to talk to. Someone to understand how he felt, someone who could help him find a solution. I offered him my help. I offered him my experience, my time, my contacts, my advice. He said that he was glad I gave him my time. All he wanted was to talk to someone, as he missed being able to talk with his wife.

At the end of the conversation, feeling optimistic and happy, I told him I knew someone who could help him and gave him the number of an organization for people trying to rebuild their lives.

In one encounter, two lives changed forever. He went from someone who was about to give up to someone who was about to take control of his life. I went from someone who was about to cry to someone who was about to live.

We both needed someone to tell us everything would be okay and to show us the right path. We both needed someone to listen to us and to care about us. We had never met before that day, but we both knew that our lives would never be the same.

Life is an amazing journey.

We all come from different places, different cultures, and different countries, but we all live on the same planet. We seem different, but we have a lot in common.

Whether we realize it, we all need something. We all need someone.

We all need to be loved, and we all want our lives to be better.

Since that day, the day I saw the man and talked to him, I have been making sure that my life is better and that I am happier. I am sharing the story and trying to help other people. I want people to be happy.

We all want to know that someone understands us and cares about us.

We all need a shoulder to cry on.

We all need a hand to hold.