Life can get chaotic, difficult, confusing, or plain boring. Everyone has hard times, no matter who they are or what their life is like. Children are bored of doing what they’re told to do, students don’t know what their future holds, and adults feel trapped in their current routine. Why does life do this to us? How can one dissolve these problems?

I strive to make my responsibilities fit within my personal goals and what I choose to do. Finding this balance can be tough, especially when students are required to spend up to half of their awake hours at school. This makes achieving a source of happiness during the day difficult for many, along with adults slaving away at work to pay the bills. Surely it is clear that our lives aren’t ours, when we can’t live it the way we want. I take this problem and reflect on Blair Somerville’s way of life as shown in the video “Lost & Found” in which he live in a remote part of New Zealand where he spends time designing and building original contraptions. Somerville walks his local beaches picking up recyclable or natural materials, then makes new displays with whatever he finds. 

Blair Somerville’s way of life is a perfect example of living how you want. He quotes, “I left home knowing that you didn’t need that much to live on.. You just need shelter, some food, and a reason to be alive”. Living in remote New Zealand, Somerville is isolated from pop media and what we view as how society runs. Because of this, one’s true values and wants can be achieved since there aren’t other obstacles holding someone back. “There’s so much going on, there’s so many things to react to. Life’s inspiring, you have this chance to be creative and experiment,” Somerville states. His view on life is inspiring not to just listen to, but encourages one to live the way they choose. I apply this in my own life because I am the decision maker of what I do, so the right balance of what I want and have to do can be created for my personal life. 

A poem written by Kahlil Gibran called Before the “Throne of Beauty Xxvi” Also has great values of living by your joy instead of the way society runs. ” One heavy day I ran away from the grim face of society and the dizzying clamor of the city and directed my weary step to the spacious alley,” it starts. The way the poem describes the city and how society behaves shows how dark and negative it can be to someone, especially during hardships. This is just like how Blair Somerville got away from society so he can do what he loves on his own.

RoseAnn V Shawiak’s poem “Finding Joy” is similar to Gibran’s because it describes the way daily life can cause suffering but an inner joy will push these struggles away. “Living through daily life, making sacrifices just to get along and exist… =Admiring my inner strength and courace, taking me beyond what I have always felt and known,” the poem spells. A simple change of perspective on a struggle or challenge can bring out possible enjoyment, especially when that one thing is bringing you down. For example, the daily load of homework can be stressful on top of dealing with everything else, but if you focus on the fact that you are learning and benefiting in the long run then your perspective will change.

Finding a way to manage struggles can be difficult, but when someone can find enjoyment or happiness in something, they begin to strive for better. Blair Somerville lives a very different life from others, but he is happily living the way he would like. Personal joy is different for everyone, but we all can find ways to incorporate it into our lives.