Ngothuydung – Ngôthùydung

Recently it’s been stuck in my head with the metaphor of life: if, see, stages of life are as different periods of time during a day.

Every day starts at midnight – it’s when we are in our mother’s womb.

Then at dawn – our childhood, where everything is fresh and enjoyable, comfortable, peaceful.

After that, there come the teenage years, or later the youthful years, where the Sun goes up and shines the most brightfully, glorifyingly, yet at the same time it’s the harshest period of time in the day – where, if you constantly expose yourself to the Sun, it’ll burn you. That’s why in this period you need the “shadow”. Normally, people refer to shadow (or darkness) as something negative, not good, but during the noon when the Sun is up so harsh, the shadow is so necessary for us to stay in just a little while to calm down, to “take a nap”, to make ease with the journey, so that we then will be able to come back under the Sun, shining, absorbing all the glorifying lights. Moreover, to be able to walk sustainably under that shining Sun, we need protector, like an umbrella, a palm leaf, or a coat, a hat, to protect ourselves from such harshness of the Sun.

Shadow is so so necessary, but we should never stay long in any shadow, as it’ll make us sleepy. The balmy breezes can make us fall asleep, you know.

This makes me question myself: where am I right now? Am I staying in a shadow? Or am I exposing to the harsh Sun of the 20s?

Later, it would be the afternoon and sunset. It’s when things slow down just a little bit. It’s when we have gained experience and memories. It’s when we have our splendid moments of sunsets – when the Sun is setting. It’s gloriously beautiful, it’s extraordinary, but it’ll be passing so fast. It’s the time for the tea, for the music, for the talks, etc.

And then, the night comes. This often be the time when people start to feel so lonely – again. It’s cold. It’s the opposite of sunrise where the Sun’s slowly get up to clear away the darkness and the chills. Nights are the time when people have to live with the dark, the cold, the lonesomeness. That’s why it’s so important for one to have the fire within. It’s like gem, not many have it. If you have it, keep it burning, keep it light.

What can I do with my life? Who am I? Where am I from and where do I want to reach? Those are big questions that I myself need to contemplate each and every space of time during “my day”.

There’s one thing I’m constantly striving for – this one promise to the self: I’m not gonna sail through life become complacent, get an ordinary job, make enough money to be fairly comfortable and stuck in a little egg of comfort. I’ll push beyond my limits at everything I do and 2023 is gonna be an awesome year.