Do It With Your All

I can still hear my father's voice in my head, "whatever you do, it must be with your whole heart, your whole being.. otherwise don't even bother". I remember smiling, nodding respectfully, not really listening because I wanted to get back to my movie. But I see it now, effort cannot be replaced. With the benefit of hindsight, I see how effort can leave you with few regrets. Yes, even with effort a job might end, a relationship might come crashing down, a friendship might lead to betrayal.. trust might never be rebuilt and love might disappear.. but effort means you leave head held high.. even if no one acknowledges it you can say, even with tears and your heart breaking, "at least I tried.. I gave it my all"... and isn't that what we all want? to live with the "at least I knew" than the "what if I had only done this?" I see now my father had a point, life is hard, life is stressful, it is scary and terrifying and not putting in effort especially with no guarantee you will get what you most desire seems easier. This world seems to reward not putting in effort... people will disappear when the relationship is too hard, breaking others' hearts without a second thought.. you will lose a job even when you have put in hours and made soul breaking sacrifices..your savings will be stolen and the perpetrators will go scot free..yes it does seem logical, reasonable to not even try. But think about it, how sometimes when you gave it your all, when one thing comes to an end...somehow the universe makes a way.. even if you do not believe in cosmic justice or karma, somehow even in the sadness and the disappointment, you feel good, at peace because you know you gave it your best and that this was your karma..that unlike those who gave up without an effort, you chose to keep trying.. and somehow the universe sees it and rewards you sometimes with more than you could have dreamed of...