Character

Soul-full

Since a young age, I have questioned my existence in this world. I asked myself what is my purpose in life, what meanings or consequences have the decisions I make. Why am I on earth? It doesn’t help that I’m an introvert. By default, I tend to spend too much time in my head. I’ve battled with these uncertainties until adulthood. Anyone who looked at me might have thought me mad when, in reality, I was just lost in my thoughts. Thinking and thinking. Questioning and questioning. I don’t consider myself a depressed person or anything like that, but I can’t get something out of my head until I find the answer. One summer, I was staring at a wall in my room and started crying. This has to stop. It has to. I wasn’t living life. From that moment forward, I started to go easy on myself. It was my wake-up call. Little by little, I began to have compassion for myself and allow my thoughts to come and go.

In 2020 an animated comedy-drama came out called Soul. What is it that makes you… YOU? Joe, a middle school band teacher, believes what makes him special is his passion for Jazz. One day he dies and goes to this magical place (some call it heaven) where he meets soul 22. 22 was there since the creation of the world. 22 was having trouble finding its passion and understanding what makes its existence valuable. One day, she visits earth and realizes that what makes her special is something more than being passionate about music, a sport, or art. It’s being passionate about life itself and enjoy each moment.

That scene resonated with me. Life is about the moments and experiences you create with the people you love. It’s about failure and disappointment, but it’s also about discovering and taking risks. So what makes me special? That I’m alive.