Today, someone in my intimate circle of friends (those I call brothers), announced he is going to have a daughter. He just turned 30. He was always a moody, sort of loner kinda guy, with only me and a few others as his true friends.
Today, his wife and him were holding hands, similing in a way that pretty much put a tear in my eye. I was witnessing true happiness happening right in front of me.
Also today, I was finally asked to add a few lines of narrative for one of the games in Ironhide. This is what I love to do the most, writing, and I don't get to do much of it as it is... but today, after 20 months working on this awesome studio I got to do what I love the most.
Also today, I listened a beautiful song that I had completely forgotten about (Paes e Filhos from Legiao Urbana, a Brazilian band). It was like reuniting with an old friend. And at the street, I helped a very confused tourist find his way back to his hotel (germans are hillarious when their plans fall apart).
Today I helped the woman I'm dating to cope with the fact that her grandfather might not have much time to live (the poor man is in the hospital).
Today, my friends made me laugh. I made my friends laugh. I cooked dinner for my mom (for a change).
Today was a good day.
What does any of this has to do with all the terrible stuff that happens everyday in the world? Nothing. Everything.
I just try to be a good friend, a good neighbor, a good coworker, a good partner, a good son. I try not to give in to hate, despair or misinformation but instead, I try to learn about those that are different, I keep my sense of wonder very much alive, I watch the news but constantly remind myself that the truth is a complex polifacetic thing.
It's not about just staying positive, and hoping for the better. It's about taking positive actions for those around you, and being a better version of yourself as much as you can.
There is a well known story that might present the case better than my previous words:
(...) Off in the distance, the old man noticed a small boy approaching. As the boy walked, he paused every so often and as he grew closer, the man could see that he was occasionally bending down to pick up an object and throw it into the sea. The boy came closer still and the man called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”
The young boy paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean. The tide has washed them up onto the beach and they can’t return to the sea by themselves,” the youth replied. “When the sun gets high, they will die, unless I throw them back into the water.”
The old man replied, “But there must be tens of thousands of starfish on this beach. I’m afraid you won’t really be able to make much of a difference.”
The boy bent down, picked up yet another starfish and threw it as far as he could into the ocean. Then he turned, smiled and said, “It made a difference to that one!”
Adapted from The "Star Thrower", by Loren Eiseley.