By Finn Cousins—
The code I live by is pretty interesting—especially since what I’ve recently been through. Each day I wake up and put two feet on the floor, and as long as I do that, I am standing with the rest of the people in the world that day. If those people are doing the same as me, why not share the joy of life that surrounds us all on that single day?
I was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder. My entire life changed within a matter of seconds. My mind has changed, my way of life has changed and the code I live by has changed. Not only do I choose to do acts that I am supposed to do, but I am capable of involving myself in the decisions I make every day. Instead of solely trying to fit the mold and reciprocate the love others show me, I take joy in the fact that I receive that love and reciprocate it to others who are trying to live their life.
For a long time, I dealt with extreme mood swings and sleepless nights. I struggled with seeing the light of life and focused on the negatives. Now that I am capable of seeing the world through a clear lens, I can articulate where emotion, compassion, and effort come from and how it affects our souls every day. The idea of knowing people want to give parts of themselves to you is relieving.
Many say that the best messages go unsaid, and this code of life is the essence of that saying. Not everything has to be posted, uploaded, or public to everyone. As long as we know who is there for us in the darkest hour and as long as we can trust that at least one person in the world cares about our well-being and wants to have an impact, our outlook towards life can change.
Recently, I was reading responses of other young writers in The New York Times to the question: “What is the code you live by?” Many said, “treat others the way you want to be treated” or “treat others the way they wish to be treated,” which holds powerful insight, but those standards are so unrealistic to meet. As individuals, we will never know how others want to be treated or how exactly we want to be treated. Why not focus on the fact that we all can put effort into others as much as ourselves and trust in the fact that people can notice those minuscule acts of kindness or compassion?
In simple terms, the code I live by is the reciprocation of love. We are all here trying our best to live out our dreams, build families, and see the world that has been presented to us. Without feeling love and giving love, none of that is possible.
Now that my mental health is in a better place, it is so much easier to feel the reciprocation of love in my life. Many blessings have popped up throughout my life through those that love me, and now it’s my turn to return the love they have given me. It is crazy to think that emotion goes both ways in life, but if love, faith in action, and attention to detail aren’t moving on the two-way street of life, is that relationship/act worth your time?
The simple answer: No.
John Ausema • May 18, 2021 at 12:58 pm
Thanks for sharing your story Finn. It’s been a pleasure to be a small part of this journey with you.
Pam Valeiras • May 18, 2021 at 12:40 pm
Loved your message! Keep writing!