To people who make life bearable

There is a popular thought experiment which argues that wearing a heavy backpack makes slopes look steeper and distances seem longer. This in turn would affect how we see life around us. And to echo the thoughts of the protagonist of the movie "Up in the Air", think that you have a backpack filled with all the people  you know. You're also carrying all the baggage that they come with. Well its quite easy to say that it will be a rather heavy bag. 

Upon reflecting on the significance of the people in my life, I began to question certain aspects while also gaining important realizations. Well, to start with there's my family, and they are solely responsible for me weathering some very difficult storms. Then there are my friends, from kindergarten to college. Some of those friends have been in my life for the majority of my time here. Some of them I met normally and got acquainted with. Some others found me in some very dark places and became, well, basically my family.  Some of them really saved me couple times. Then there are my teachers, who taught me things and encouraged me to teach myself things.  Then there would be all the other people, all the nameless faces, who had very little chances of being in your life but just found their way there. 

Sometimes when things looked rather grim, what made my day was a random stranger making conversation. The old lady who worked at the cafeteria, who told me she liked my choice of coffee and told me about her daughter, the Uber driver who dropped me off at campus and asked me to be safe, the girl at the tech store who happily explained all the features of the new macbook to me and countless other nameless faces. I never asked for their names and I hate myself for It, but I’m sure I will never forget their faces because their random acts of kindness and humanity left an impression on me. It made me realize my life was worth living. Sure, I cant be that lucky and have everything I want in life. Sure, its going to be quite a journey, but Its too beautiful to miss.

Coming back to the backpack. In my experience though, that bag is a lot lighter than what is supposed to be because I feel like everyone I know are lending a hand and making the task easier for me. They make life a little bit more livable, a little bit more colorful. It's important to remember that we all have our own backpacks to carry, and at times we may need to lean on others for support and thats okay. Well, if you look at it closely, when you become that pillar of support for someone, maybe your life has a bit of meaning after all.