Ulog 003: Of Placing Things In Perspective
The line above is an excerpt from a Yale Daily News feature by Jack Ross - a father of a Yale University student who lost his life to suicide. If you guys want to give the essay a read, here's a quick link: The Dark Lining of the Prefontaine Mantra: Lessons from Hale Ross’ life at Yale.
There are different ways with which to view the quote above as.
A person might say, "The one who said this haven't thought of causes greater than his own self. Some things are well worth sacrificing one's self for. Take Jose Rizal, for example. He gave his life up for his cause - to stand up for the Filipinos. His accomplishments precede him. A known polymath, he was also highly revered for his books that he wrote as a form of revolt against the Spanish conquerors." This could be the truth.
Another way of looking at this is through the perspective of a risk-averse individual. One might say that it's better to rest and stay in one's comfort zone because one doesn't want to exert effort above the bare minimum. In this case, this line can be taken as an excuse to not exert one's best even when one is totally capable of doing it. This could also be not far off from the truth.
Now, Mr. Ross viewed it in the light of his son not being able to reframe his thoughts just in time to save himself. His son, Hale, was known to many as the kind and smiling boy who'd live his life by this mantra by Prefontaine
To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.
He lived by this mantra through matching up Prefontaine's standards with his and how he would go to great lengths to achieve them. His father said that his son had lost sight of the gift that he should've placed more focus on - his life. His father makes a strong point when he said this.
It is not my intention to take the spotlight off of mental illness and the mental and physical pressures of sports and academics. What I'm trying to say here is there can be different ways with which to look at a situation and these perspectives can all be true.
As to what perspective gives the "perfect" view?
For now, I'll choose the one that works for me.
Bizou bizou,
@thegaillery
I highly recommend reading the essay. It shines light on how mental illness drives seemingly happy and healthy individuals to their demise. It also tells of how a loved one processes the tragedy in their minds. If you are depressed, suspect that you are or have a friend who has depression, ask for help. Send me a message, if you want to talk about your problems. You can reach me here. You are not alone.