Contradiction

After taking a break to assess a terrifically challenging 2018, I can confidently say that I have learned more in these past 365 days than I have in any other year of my life. Ironically, my first year without school since 2000 turned into the year that brought me more knowledge and understanding than any year I spent studying in formal classrooms. This is largely due to my newfound desire to read and listen to books, something I thought I would never say if you had asked me three years ago.

I would like to share with you the three most important lessons I have learned this past year, a year of incredible growth and much-needed maturity (although my friends say I still need a bit more of that). Here comes lesson number two:

That Which Is Contradictory is Complementary

Having spent many hours this past year reading and listening to several pieces of his literature, I have undoubtedly acquired this mindset from C.S. Lewis. Basically, this mindset aims to convey that everything in life is necessary to comprise the whole, and that while we should acknowledge certain things as being negative or evil, we should also do our best to understand why their presence actually bring meaning to the overall picture.

Here are three examples to better explain what I am getting at:

1. Why must there be such negative things as war and famine in the world?

The mere presence of war illuminates the parts of life in which there is peace. Those experiencing famine make those with ample food much more appreciative for what they have, which in turn can lead to those with plenty to understand their fortune and contribute to those in need.

2. Why did I waste $5 on a Jumbo Jack from Jack in the Box?

Our In-N-Out tastes so much better when we have a mediocre burger like the Jumbo Jack to compare it to. If you are able to view yourself as a pioneer, and use your past actions to help steer others in the right direction, then you will undoubtedly save lives by ensuring no one else has to endure the pain of consuming something from Jack in the Box.

3. How am I supposed to enjoy this horrible rainy weather?

Unless you're one of those lunatics who enjoys the rain, this can be tough to confront. When you acknowledge that a rainy day gives you so much more appreciation for bright, sunny days, toughing out the storm can become a bit more bearable.

When you believe that conflicting forces are necessary in order to complete the overall picture, it generates a completely different outlook on what happens around you. I realize this may be easy for me to say being that I am a white male from an affluent community, meaning that I am generally given the easier side of the coin. But nonetheless, I have genuinely learned to appreciate the contradictory, to view the negative as necessary to the overall picture of life.

It is obviously much more difficult to appreciate and enjoy the negative and painful aspects of life while we are experiencing them, but taking this perspective on life can help ease the pain a bit.

Heading into 2019, let's do our best to understand how the negative parts of life actually, in some way, contribute towards making the world a better place.