Fall down seven times, stand up eight

Nana Korobi, Ya Oki

That proverb means, “ Fall down seven times, stand up eight.” It means choosing to never give up hope, and to always strive for more.

I never really understood its meaning until life happened to me. In high school, we were told to memorize poems, prose, and proverbs but I never really took it by heart. I was an insensitive person back then. ( Well, not insensitive but immature kind of way.) I was young and I thought being academically smart was sufficient to survive. 

However, life proved me wrong and slapped me in the face with the harsh truth. I believe you need a strong heart and mind to survive this game. For me, life is about survival. Life will stretch you out and will definitely change you to the point that you’ll be humble enough to live life.

You need to pick yourself up whenever you stumble or fall. To stand up again with bruises and scars is courageous and brave. Not everyone has the same drive and determination to continue despite the struggles and setbacks. 

I often wonder how many setbacks must we all have in order to be strong? How many hearts must be broken in order for us to learn our lessons? 

Life keeps surprising me. It is indeed unpredictable. 

And to you, dear reader, no matter how hard and painful the fall, I hope you’ll never lose your courage to begin again. 

And I'll do the same. 

With love,

-E.