"Some things are more precious because they don't last long" - Oscar Wilde

Faded Colours – January Free Choice

People can be quite limited – that is, there is only so much that we can know. This isn’t due to some human fault but simply because uncertainty exists in the most unexpected of places: in those faded lines on that majestic painting, in every second and every second after, in the dark clouds embedded in that dark sky. It’s as if we are constantly at the mercy of strangers. They walk towards us and demand our attention, but we fail to recognize who they are. However, despite our fear of the unknown and the doubt which follows it, we are taught to act under uncertain circumstances because of the fact that this uncertainty exists everywhere. If we were to wait for complete certainty to take action, we wouldn’t act at all.

We can only find certainty in certain places. One such example is when we come back home to the comfort of our family; there is this weird feeling of belonging where we feel like we are important when surrounded by all these familiar faces. But if these loved ones were to be taken away, we would be defeated. We are thrown back into the darkness, not knowing where we’re going, which is a fearful prospect. The problem that exists is that since life is so complex, there is no way we can reach this level of familiarity with every idea or every person we meet. By nature, we have the desire to know more because even we subconsciously realize how limited our perspective is, and this is what makes us afraid. This fear is what controls us and makes us puppets to a game we thought we were in control of. If we can’t see the path ahead, we must rely on blind faith. This makes us restless because we are designed as beings who need to have certainty, and the doubt we feel in its absence is simply a reminder to be wary of our next few actions, for we do not know what the outcome will be.

Life is not a black and white checkerboard, but it’s not a sea of gray either. It’s a clash between waves of bright colours, which mix with the other faded tints to bring about something unsaturated – not dull, unsaturated. Uncertainty exists in these unsaturated colours, and it is in these lighter shades that we find ourselves. Being happy is simpler than we make it out to be, but it is being content that is the real challenge. Something certain like a steady hand, proving to us that consistency does exist; chasing after this certainty is what gives us purpose, and with purpose, we can create a meaningful life. Thank you for listening to my Ted Talk.

 

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