The Paradox of Life

"We've learned how to make a living, but not a life."

As the world continues to develop, we also learn how to adapt and change in accordance to what the situation demands. Through time, we have improved our ways of living and formed better jobs. We have created numerous ways to make a living and immersed ourselves in working to attend to the daily needs of our family. Now, we are oblivious to the fact that working our heads off makes us forget how to live well and how to live life. We tend to focus on our jobs that we forget to spare time for our family who needs our attention much more than material things. We even forget our duties to God, the Giver of all things, just because we want to earn more money and do better jobs. This phrase really supports the saying that “not all that lives truly lives”.

Illustration Paragraph-- LIFE

As we grow older, life gets more complicated and busier. We can experience struggles and hardships day after day added with the deepening economic situation our world is under right now. For instance, a student may continue struggling to pass in his college course even under different circumstances. This circumstance is for example, lack of money to continue schooling. Another instance is that, even though one graduated with a degree, it is still hard for him to look for any jobs and thus, comes the problem unemployment. To illustrate this point, many graduate students according to a survey become idle for they have none to work to, even going abroad doesn’t really help. Finally, we have the common day to day problems, like money for the daily necessities of the household, cures for the world’s illnesses, and well, money, money, money. It’s not like money makes the world go round, but practically speaking, it’s what we all work for.

Classification Paragraph-- LIFE

Life is divided into different stages as a person continues to grow and mature. These stages are classified as infancy stage, youth stage, prime of life stage, middle stage, senior stage, and the twilight years stage. The infancy stage comes right after we are born, we have no sense of self-concept and we are still dependent on the people around us for survival. The youth stage comes when we start going to school and we already know the technical know-hows of this world and the prime of life stage is the teenage years wherein young people are becoming curious and a bit rebellious. The middle stage comes when a person has already graduated and settled down with a fine work and family and the senior stage comes when a person is nearing his retirement age. The last stage which is the twilight years stage comes when one is already retired from his work and have no other things to worry about than to take good care of his health. These stages are essential for one’s life to be fully lived and one should know how to truly feel it.

Mechanism Paragraph- LIFE

Our body is composed of different systems that work together to perform certain tasks and thus, sustain life, these are: circulatory system, endocrine system, digestive system, excretory system, immune system, muscular system, nervous system, reproductive system, respiratory system, and skeletal system. The circulatory system pumps and channels blood to and from the body and lungs with heart, blood, and blood vessels. The digestive system digests and process food; excretory system, get rids of waste in the body; immune system, defend the body against disease-causing leukocytes; muscular system, allows for manipulation of the environment, provides locomotion, maintains posture and produces heat. The nervous system collects, transfers, and process information; reproductive system, the sex organs; respiratory system, the organs used for breathing; and the skeletal system, serves as structural support and protection. These systems have different functions and uses but they come into one common goal, and that is for the body to continue living.

Cause and Effect Paragraph-- LIFE

               God is the captain of our life and the master of our destiny, but He has given us chances to choose and decide for our own selves to what acts we should do in the present that will eventually affect our future. If we strive hard and study well today, a bright future will then be in queue, for as the saying goes, “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” But if we neglect our studies and reverse from the right track, we might be doomed in the end. Some people prosper in life, and others fail miserably. Some made the right choices, and others made mistakes. What might be the reason behind these differences? It all comes down to one answer: the actions that we choose to take.

Comparison and Contrast Paragraph-- LIFE

It never occurred to me how life would be like studying in Manila. Now, I can truly see the difference between my lives before—living in the province of Bukidnon, and my life now—living in Quezon City. In the province, I am able to witness the wonders of God’s creations such as tall trees and blooming flowers, on the other hand, now here in the city, I am able to witness only man-made creations which are skyscrapers and buildings of different designs. Before, I always meet warm and hospitable people and though I do not personally know them, we share sincere smiles. However, now, even the people I know sometimes fail to acknowledge my presence. Though the negatives are apparent, I do not fail to recognize the similarities of my life in the province and my life in the city. In both, I have found true friends that I will surely treasure throughout my life. And in both, I have discovered the true faith and am still continuing to strengthen it and I know, I’ll remain in this faith until I breathe my last breath. 

Description Paragraph-- LIFE

Sometimes when I get bored and have nothing to do, I think of what kind of life I would have perhaps 10 to 15 years from now. Since I have a fairly creative imagination, I think of myself as a very beautiful young woman at the peak of her career. I can see myself wearing a formal dress with a breastplate written ‘—CEO of a company’. I can also see myself with my family—a family of four will do—having a picnic at a park of peaceful ambience. Another part of me wishes to be a traveler or an adventurer, experiencing priceless journeys and seeing the marvels of creation. I want to go to Paris and see the extravagant Eiffel Tower, I also want to travel to Greece and see the ancient ruins of the past civilizations, I am exuberant to go to New Zealand and feel the stillness and serenity of the country’s panorama. More than these, I want to travel to outerspace, and be awed with the amazement the vastness of the universe can bring.

Argumentation Paragraph-- LIFE

Issue: Abortion should be legalized.

I do not agree on the idea of legalizing abortion for I believe that life is a sacred gift to respect. One does not have the right to take away a person’s life most of all if it’s an unborn child. One should be responsible enough for their actions and they should face the dire consequences of their deeds. Killing a helpless human being in the womb of the mother is a very horrible act in the eyes of man and above all, in the eyes of God. Some speak of human rights, but they deny the rights of the innocent child to be born and to see the magnificent works of God. It is not only the child’s life who is ruined in an act of abortion, but the mother too, after an abortion, lives a life full of regrets and frustrations. We must not, even for a second, doubt in our decisions to appeal for the obliteration of such profane act.

Definition Paragraph-- LIFE

It is so ironic that we all live to die, but, what matter depends on how we live a worthy life to die a worthy end. I never knew what life is all about and what living your life to the fullest means. It is so broad that its definitions seems so untrue, it so much of an abstraction that by simply defining it, we stray away from what it truly means. Life is a gift from God and it is something so sacred, for that, it should not be taken for granted, rather, it should be treated with care. Life is manifested simply every time that we breathe, that we move, that we feel loved, and that we feel hurt. Sometimes, we just strain ourselves overthinking about the definitions that suit what life truly exhibits, but we find none. Life is just so incomprehensible that makes it even more mysterious, it is just so unfathomable that makes it even more interesting.

Process Paragraph-- LIFE

We are only given one existence, one chance, and one lifetime to live, that’s why we must never take it for granted, now, here are some tips for a life worth living. First, we must devote ourselves in serving God, for in praising and glorifying Him, we find contentment and serenity. Second, no matter what happens, we must follow our heart’s desire, for our hearts speak true happiness. Third, we must maximize our potentials and develop our abilities, for in developing ourselves, we are able to contribute a small part of our talent to our community. Fourth, we must love, for as the saying goes ‘love begets love’. Fifth, we must strive hard and work for our dreams, no matter what it takes, we must achieve our aspirations for us to feel that we have succeeded in our life’s purpose. Lastly, when we are already successful and we achieved our personal goals, we must look back to the people who helped us and keep our feet glued on the ground. These are the steps for a healthy and successful life, though following this isn’t really necessary, one can make this as a guide to be able to live life to the fullest.

Narration Paragraph-- LIFE

When we are growing up and feeling the serious weight of the responsibilities on our shoulder, we have the tendency to reminisce our past for this is our only form of escapade. Let me share to you glimpses of my life, these are the happenings I encountered when I was still young yet it already taught me lessons that I will never forget. I can still vividly remember how embarrassed I felt when I was in grade one when my teacher reprimanded me for being so shy and introvert. She had said a lot of things to me like having to get out of my shell and express what I want to say, and me, still having an innocent mind started to cry, though it was the time when I realized that I have to build my self-confidence and develop my potentials. When I was in 2^nd year, I learned to value my loved ones the hard way, and it was when my grandmother died without me being by her side. I totally regretted the times I haven’t spent with her.  And this experience taught me to treasure the times I have with my loved ones and show them how much I care and love them while it is not yet too late for time wasted will never come back. Looking back to the life I had when I was younger molded me to become who I am today and developed my outlook in life. 

The Paradox of Life

            The mystical nature of life is what makes it truly interesting. It is ironic when we gain something but then lose something in return. It is hurtful when we succeed but then we feel that we failed. It is painful when we are triumphant but we feel like defeated. It is excruciating when we love but we are not loved back by the ones that we love.

            It is already a common scene in our society to see people having great income yet degrading their morals. This is maybe due to poverty experienced by most of us. Many tend to side on illegal doings in order to survive. This is what they call ‘kapit sa patalim’. They exchange their morals and the values they hold on to for money. Some pushes drugs, others carry them, some sell their body, and others even go to the extent to harm others to get money. It is true that they are able to get much money in these activities, but they become lesser of a person.

            It is a reality of the world to see broken families. Together with the increasing industrialization and the progress of the world, it is contradictory that families slowly grow apart. This might be due to parents’ work. I do not blame them for I am not in the position to do so. They are always thinking about their children’s future that they have to sacrifice countless things to ensure it.

            It is true that now, we give much importance in building technologies than building our characters. Teens nowadays buy things just for the sake of having something to boast about, not really giving importance to its value. We seek knowledge, but do not use them for good. Some use the knowledge they gained to look down on people. The world is crowded with billions of folks, yet we seldom see our neighbors, and only a few smiles are shared.

            The paradox of life seems like a myth, yet it is inescapable. It is present in our day to day activities. It is involved in our everyday lives. It is like a shadow following us. It is present when there is darkness, but then much more alive when there is light.