Beloved reader,
I was in a funk recently about money, time, work, romantic assignations (or lack thereof), and I started to feel sorry for myself, which is the quickest route to the wrong kind of madness.
I found myself lamenting everything/ everything/ everything until my despair grew wings and claws. I found myself running a narrative in my head that I had failed myself and my loved ones. This was a falsehood, but it felt too vivid to be untrue.
So I reminded myself of the following:
Don't be afraid to fuck up until you feel your way to the foot of the mountain. You will disappoint many, many people in this lifetime, including yourself. This is what being a mortal creature with mortal weaknesses and mortal frailties means. Keep going anyway. Grant yourself and the people in your orbit as much grace as humanly possible. You will hear no, no, no again and again because some things just never get easier. Keep going anyway. If you're lucky, you'll experience heartache and it will hurt like hell and make you lose all your marbles for a spell. Keep going anyway.
There is no trick to this life ting: it's all about keeping on going.
So put on your running shoes and dip-and-dash.
I believe in you.
With love and solidarity,
Diriye
DIRIYE OSMAN is illustrated by DIEGO L. RODRIGUEZ.
Song of the moment: 'Get Up' by AMEL LARRIEUX.