"THE FALL BEFORE THE RISE" in "WRITER@WORK: Stories From A Lone, Urban Girl"

Life is one hell of a rollercoaster ride or an open road…or whatever you’d like to call it. Basically, it’s the same thing. It offers possibilities, but only nothing still lasts forever.

It’s normal for many to simply accept joy instead of grief. Who would ever want bad things to happen to them? Nobody looks forward to more tragedies, unless they’re dying and already well-resigned with acceptance…or just psychotic.

However, they can’t be avoided. Taking turns with the good, bad things happen too. No matter how careful we are, it’s like evil still slips through the cracks and causes havoc.

What do we normally do when that happens? We curse our (bad) luck. We get angry and feel that life isn’t fair with us. It’s normal to be upset, really. It’s okay to feel sad. The question is, for how long? What’s your next move after that?

Some say that once your fall has reached the bottom, there is no other way but to work your hardest to get back up. How? The choices also vary. You can either use your own strength (or what is left at least). You can also accept help. Believe me, this doesn’t make you a weaker person. After all, we do need each other.

The Rise

I’ve been considered grim through most of my writing. They say I mostly write sad and angry stuff. They think I’m unhappy. I don’t know if they remember that most great movies have conflicts. Otherwise, there won’t be anything much to tell. All is good, nothing to declare.

When you’re on the rise, everything’s good. You lead a happy life. Work’s going fine. Your loved ones make you feel complete. Your social life doesn’t suck. Romance is in the air when he/she starts paying more attention on you. Everything’s going alright. What more could you ask?

However, just like the fall, the rise also doesn’t last – no matter how long you’d like to keep it with you. It leaves even after if you take it for granted.

After that, of course, comes another fall.

Sometimes it’s a combination of both. What are you going to do about it? Why not embrace them all, knowing that there are things you can’t control?

The fall teaches us humility, everytime we forget while we’re on the rise. No need to always make that an enemy. It’s still part of our lives anyway.

R.