Our daily dose of existentialism

We often come face to face with the fear of not being able to make anything of ourselves or of our lives. The fear of mediocrity and stagnation can very easily suffuse our thoughts with negativity and render us paralyzed, making it difficult to trudge through the day.

Fears like these are very real and we have to constantly remind ourselves that every life plays a pivotal role in the grand scheme of things. Every person has, in his or her own ways, given the universe something unique that makes it what it is today.

But it gets difficult. We do everyday tasks repeatedly, perfunctorily, and it becomes hard to remove ourselves from the rut that we’ve made. More often than not, it feels as though the entirety of the universe conspires to give us bad days on end. During those days, it becomes almost impossible to snap out of the trance that seems to hover above our heads 24/7.

Ideas and thoughts are very difficult to shake off. It’s also very easy to drown in them. If we think about it, we don’t really know a lot about ourselves or the universe we move in. We can only study 15 percent of the universe (which is composed of actual matter), as 85 percent of it is all dark matter. When we begin toying with ideas like these, it’s possible to become overwhelmed by them.

When we think about how vast the universe is and how small we are in contrast, we may become afflicted with a different kind of claustrophobia—like being suffocated by all that space. But when we zoom in to our little nook in the universe, there are so many things happening.

We look into the lives of everyday people who carry their own universes with them. We explore nature and tinker with the science that governs it. We do our absolute best to overcome the tediousness of work and, at the same time, look for meaning in our existence. We touch the lives of others, allowing their light to wash over us. We fight against violence, discuss morality, and a lot more.

There is so much going on in the universe and in the world that it becomes difficult to digest them all. But we need ideas; we need them to live, to understand, to develop, to reminisce, to feel, to love. We get overwhelmed, but it passes.

Despite the general feeling of the universe conspiring against us, it does grant us days where it feels like all the stars have aligned in our favor. Now and again, the universe reminds us that life isn’t all about mundane events or just trying to get through the day in one piece. There are moments and people who remind us that every now and then, it’s okay to let go of thoughts, ideas and emotions and just feel the moment.

These moments are precious, so it is crucial that we never miss out on them. Remember, the universe also hands us good days. When it does, trust me when I say it’s beautiful.

Maolin S. Macatangay, 20, says he likes reading about dark matter.