Holding Up the Universe

By Evangelle C Austin-Amadi

Experience has granted credence to the idea that life is not a bed of roses and perhaps it is as a result of this knowledge that we have, to some extent, stopped expecting it to be one. And so we toil, nursing the hope that sweat will give rise to success. When school life becomes particularly difficult, we grumble anyway but take comfort in the fact that nothing is easy. When things seem to be taking a turn for the worse, the knowledge of life's difficulty stays with us but is not comforting. In that moment, it tends to feel as though we are holding up the universe.

Generally accepted is the concept that knowledge is key. And if this holds even an ounce of truth, then the question to be brought forward is: 'what door does it open?' Happiness? If so then it should be brought to light that there are a number of glitches with that manner of thinking. For one, having the pre-conception that problems are bound to occur during the course of one's life, does not in any way prepare one to deal with them. There are, as a matter of fact, those who do not confront the problems they face, preferring to wallow in them, ignoring the prospects. They surrender and in my opinion, it is this surrender that is a disease in our world.

Whenever I think of this disease, I am once again reminded of the bestselling novel, Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven. Not because of anything remarkable, but simply because of the main character, Drew and the disease he was burdened with; a disease that could very well have dragged him down - if he had allowed it to. Drew, the hero, was diagnosed face blindness. As with the diagnosis, he was unable to recognize faces. He could see the same face everyday for twenty years and still be unable to tell who the face belonged to. Now unlike the disease of surrender, face blindness has no cure. And yet as you journeyed along with Drew, you were made to discover that he did not let the disease bring him down.

We often hear the saying, 'when there is a will, there is a way' but we even believe it? In Drew's case, all he really had to go by was his will as even the medical world failed to provide him with away. In the end, his will was enough as although he did not cure the disease, he was able to deal with t, making some improvements along the way.

For the disease of surrender plaguing the world, I urge carriers to use their will to make a way, bearing in mind that they are not alone. After all, somewhere out there, people are holding up the universe as well.

by Evangelle Austin-Amadi