TO STOP, WE NECESSARILY HAVE TO KEEP MOVING

“To keep moving, we necessarily have to stop.”

We we’re asked to reflect on this quote as part of our first homework in the subject “The Teaching and Testing of Literature”. From the moment the activity was announced, I could not stop thinking what each and every word in this very short quote could mean. It’s been days and I wasn’t able to write anything. And now, it is only hours before the submission. As human beings, if our emotion and our minds are not in control, we start to worry. And worried I become. Then I got sick. And worried I become again. I tried to busy myself with other things. I thought worried is all I’ll ever be. Until I stopped. I stopped worrying and started analyzing it, minus the “what if’s”- “What if I won’t be able to make anything?” “What if my understanding of the quote is wrong, or shallow, at least?”. And after stopping being pessimistic, voila! This paper came to be. But that is just “stop” in relation to what I am experiencing these past few days. How about “stop” in relation to “keep moving”? And when do we “necessarily” have to stop?

Stop. Be Positive. Keep Moving.

Inevitably, we opt to cling on things that at some point in our lives have hurt us, made us feel sad or mad, or depressed us. And by clinging to these unpleasant experiences we could create physical, psychological, and other kinds of damages unto ourselves. Thus, we are prevented from moving forward. And this is where stopping comes into picture. We have to stop thinking about negative things and focus on better ones. Instead of relishing the pain, the sadness, the anger, why not just value the good experiences and the people you share them with? Negativity only takes away our ability to have faith, to be patient, to believe in achieving what seems difficult at first, to see the beauty of life, to see how mysteriously amazing life is. Be positive and be on the move.

Stop. Don’t Be Unhappy. Keep Moving.

We all experience moments of happiness and unhappiness, each varying in intensity. And I think it is not enough to say that we should be happy. Instead, let us not be unhappy as well. Unfortunately for most people, unhappiness usually over weighs happiness. In this world we’re living in, it’s always “x begets x”. Unhappiness begets unhappiness. And this is when stopping becomes necessary. For me, even stronger than being happy is the ability to be not unhappy. Yes, there is no happiness that will multiply by itself (following the “x begets x” principle), but at least there is no unhappiness that will surely result into more unhappiness. If there‘s little unhappiness, then there is a greater chance that happiness will win over it. Thus, we can continue moving.

Stop. Have Faith. Keep Moving.

A demotion. A worn pair of snickers. A loved one lost. Failure, like happiness, varies in intensity. A student who received failing grades could end up as miserable as a father who lost a son. Sometimes, things that happen to us seem unfair, painful, or even horrible. When things go wrong (as they sometimes will), that is a call for us to stop. Stop asking why miseries happen, and why it seems you are a favorite. Stop. For it is only by stopping you’ll see why such things happen. Demoted? Stop. Have faith in yourself, do better. You’ll get your position back and might even get promoted. Your snickers are worn? Stop. Have faith in yourself that you can save enough money to buy a new pair. Lost a loved one? Stop. Have faith in Him. You may be experiencing a “gray emptiness” now. But that could be His way of making you appreciate the colorful shades of life. And He will continue providing colorful, cumulative specks that could fill in the “emptiness” and at least brighten the “gray”. Have faith and you’ll keep moving.

To stop worrying about my future grade in the aforementioned subject that required this piece, I started typing and kept moving until now. As paradoxical as it may sound, a stop is really necessary for us to keep moving. And longing to keep moving, I will stop now.