What keeps us to continue life?

(Based on Alfonso Gomez-Rejon 2015 Film, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”)

Madelyn M. Abila
Philosophy Program, University of Santo Tomas-Legazpi

Living is a natural thing for human beings but the process of how we live is what complicates
life. Shall we continue to live our lives the way it is or just accept death as it is because we
are all going to die or just simply already dying? We often create an imitation of reality or
somewhat create a better version of it. A version that is more pleasing to us since the true
reality of the world where we are living is not the reality that is acceptable for us. Movie
films, imitates the truth, broaden the scope, complicates things but in the end, it is what most
people want.

Life is not about following certain rules and doing what people tells us to do. At first, we
follow and let other reign upon us but as we go by we never really felt being pushed to do
things other people want but rather we will feel grateful because we somehow manage to do
it and that it is really great doing it. Life is full of struggles especially to people who are still
independent with their parents. We are limited by limits and boundaries set by humanity. We
struggle to survive the academic life, our life as it is as normal human being in the society
and part of a family, and most certainly we struggle to live. Amidst the fact that people
struggle to survive, they still want to live. What motivates us to continue living is because we
are not afraid of realities existence rather motivated to continue living because of the imitated
reality created. It either gives us hope or it sets us free from the real reality. Somehow, the
imitated reality helps lessen burden in our chest and face the cruel world head on.

Death is only a passing stage for someone but to those who will be left behind struggles to
survive life. Life is not the survival for the fittest, to survive, one must know the value of
living. We must continue to live regardless of anything, regardless of how difficult life is. We
struggle to learn the importance of loving and spending life to the best way possible as long
as we live. Giving up is a choice but it doesn’t mean that when you give up is that you lose
but because you’ve already learned and someone learned from you. Continue to live to know
life and learn how important life is and what role the struggles in life have in everyone’s own
existence. Reality is not always right it is the role of reality that makes everything right
especially living life and continuously living it.

Struggles and experience are painful lessons that hone our becoming. Every passing teaches
us to value life even more and gives us another meaning to continue life as it is. We do not
just life but we live for a good reason even thought that reason is unknown and yet to be
known. Despite it being known or unknown it is our motivation to continue to live, to exist.
We are vulnerable in a lot of ways but with our vulnerabilities it becomes our strength.
Because of the unknown reason we found reason to exist. Our desire to reach our dreams and
goals and reach certain ends sacrifices are nothing but worth it.