A letter for you
if you ever think about giving up

Hello my friend,

It is Diwali today. The festival of lights. According to the text, it is on the new moon (the darkest night of the month) and this is the night people light their lamps. I keep thinking about this: we do not wait for the darkness to pass. We light a small lamp in the middle of the darkness. Then another. We do not need the darkness to be gone to find our way; one small light can help us to see the next.

If you are reading this, know that you are not alone. No matter what night you are on right now (even if it feels overwhelmingly dark) your next step can be smaller than you realize. Take it.

We both have a dream. Perhaps the most strange (and beautiful) thing about being human is that we can see something that does not yet exist and feel responsible for creating it. That is all we need to get started. We can make it come true by working and believing, so let us take that dream. It is already a step. The rest is work and the quiet decision to return to it (again and again).

Even though one step is still small, count it. Send one email. Write one paragraph. Call one person. Read one page. Each of these are small lamps. Many of us believe our lives are defined by great moments, but most are created from small actions and ordinary days that go unnoticed. Sometimes, one step is the entire victory (and that is enough).

We both have made (and will continue to) mistakes. This does not mean that we are failing; it means that we are attempting. By staying long enough to learn from our mistakes, we become stronger. So never give up. If you would like to stop on a particular day, make your next step smaller until you can take it and then take it again the following day. One more day. Then one more. That is how we keep our dreams alive.

Not giving up does not mean resting. Even the lamp needs oil. Sleep, eat, go outside, and return. Our dream needs a human who is still standing.

Some may mock us, belittle us, and scoff at our dreams. If they are so confident in their ability to say what to do, why have they failed to make the world any better than they found it? Let them speak. Many may laugh at our dreams because it reminds them of one that they abandoned themselves. We have something to create.

And we are not alone in this. As Apple stated:

Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

Like me, you need to do your best with the cards life has dealt you. We did not choose our hand, but we chose how we would play it. Many will not understand our hand - and why we continue to play it. Still, let us play with all we have.

We do not need to play alone, though. Seek out the few who believe in you and keep them by your side. Seek help. To seek help is not weakness. It is trust! Very little worth creating has ever been done alone. One lamp can shine on another to create a new light without losing its own.

Everyone faces challenges (many unseen) and everyone possesses a hidden talent, sometimes even one that they fail to recognize themselves. Perhaps this is all the meaning behind what I have shared. Our lives are not just something we are given; they are also something we can give to create a world a bit better than when we were first allowed to enter this realm.

What do you fear will limit you? Give it a name. Put it in writing. Fear grows in the darkness and becomes smaller in the light. So light one small lamp and still take the next step anyway.

Always keep in mind that I believe in you - even when you cannot.
You have my back.

If, today, "giving up" means something more substantial for you, please do not carry this burden alone. Talk to someone today.
Your light is more important than you realize.

Happy Diwali.

With love and light,
Suriyaa