You Are Worth More Than Anything In This World
Life’s tough, and when hard moments happen, you’re more than these moments.
Maya Kruchankova/ Shutterstock By Candice Zhang
You suffered through a trainwreck. But you don’t clearly remember where you were.
Were you on a journey to a destination you never dreamed of? Did you purchase your ticket, thinking it would be a normal ride without delays? Unfortunately, with bumpy roads and slippery tracks, the train you were on was the unlucky one.
You thought of what happened in the past few weeks, and it all seems to be a blur of emotions. Whether you broke up with a friend or S.O. or lost that job you were eyeing, you ponder and feel the tears dripping quicker than a rainstorm.
You worked so hard for this moment. So hard to make all of this blossom in front of your eyes. But in the end, nothing seemed to work out. Your dreams are withering away like flowers without water.
You look around and wonder why all these unfortunate events had to happen to you. Why me? you ask yourself. Why do these things happen to me?
You wonder how you can feel fulfilled if everyone in this world isn’t treating you right or respecting you. You feel ignored wherever you go. At work, your tasks are constantly reassigned to someone else, and your friends are always finding an excuse to leave you on "Seen."
Then, your mood changes. Everywhere you go, you wear a hoodie to cover your eyes and look down to the ground while walking. It’s hard to look up and ahead, as those evil thoughts continue to wander your brain.
You continue to stroll along the road in the pouring rain, wondering where you can make a stop. There are a few cafes beside you filled with people reading, laughing, and chatting. But right ahead, you see a bookstore.
The rain falls harder with loud thumps to the ground. A streak of lightning cracks through the dark blue skies. You run faster, your heart pitter-pattering, until you reach the door. But before you tap on the handle, the door swings open. The woman standing there opens her mouth, and mutters the word “sorry.”
You rush past the door and say a “thank you” to the woman. The woman smiles and tells you to have a great day.
You rush through the shelves and pick up some random book. You touch the book cover and open the pages. Suddenly, you see a quote: “God gives His toughest battles to His strongest soldiers.”
You see a teardrop on the book and put your hand over your eyes. You find yourself crying as soon as you read the quote.
Throughout life, you have endured so much. You endured challenges academically throughout school when you failed a test. At work, you endured tight deadlines along with backstabbing coworkers. When you come home, you must find ways to amend your already-faltering friendship or relationship, leaving you with no hope or energy left.
But, even with all of those events happening, you notice you are worth more. How your boss or coworkers treat you isn’t a reflection of you but of them. You’re worth more than your job and boss, as you’re a human being filled with empathy.
If you failed a test recently, you’re worth more than those marks on your assignment. After all, nothing in this world can quantify your emotions, experience, and value. Moreover, nothing in this world can quantify how much knowledge you have about the people around you.
And, if you have recently broken up with a friend, you’re worth more than that relationship. There are plenty of people in the world, so you have plenty of chances for a new friendship. When a friendship ends, you can find someone else, as your emotions are worth a better relationship than the one you had before.
Life’s tough, and when hard moments happen, you’re more than these moments. You’re worth more than the soldier who’s battling through life’s wars.
You finally look up from the book and see the sun glimmering outside. You realize that, despite the hardships, you’re a human being filled with dreams and passions.
No one can take your value away from you, no matter how hard they try. No one can change who you are, no matter how much they try to convince you.
And no one can steal your sunshine or spotlight, because you’re worth more.
Candice Zhang is a writer who focuses on relationships, health and wellness, and current events. Her work has been featured in Unwritten, Her Campus, The Strand, and others.