Fola’s Reflections on Reality

If wishes were horses, what would you ask for?

For most of my life, I’ve always wondered how life would be if wishes were more than just a fantasy. Growing up, I watched a lot of fairy tales about magic lamps and wishes, which sparked my wild imagination. Escaping reality into my fairy-tale made-up world was my favorite pastime. I’d imagine having three wishes just like Aladdin, then I’d imagine myself being granted all I wished for. I could be in that daze for hours, only to snap out of it after having my fill of this alternate reality I’d created.

One particular memory stands out vividly. When I was around ten, I spent hours in my room, pretending I had a magic lamp. I wished for my family to never have to worry about money again. That wishful thinking gave me hope and comfort, even though deep down, I knew it was just a fantasy. As a child, I’d ask my mother, “Why can’t we have a magic lamp?” She’d smile and say, “Because we make our own magic in this world.” Those words stuck with me, shaping my understanding of reality and dreams.

The hardest part of that reality is coming back to this place, the real world. I have tried to gaslight myself into believing that my alternate reality is real and that the original reality is a fictional series—a post-apocalyptic series because nothing is going right. I simply refuse to accept that this is real life.

Coping with reality is probably the hardest thing we will face as humans trying to make and find our way in this very unbalanced world. It doesn’t give us a choice; it forces us. Reality is probably the only thing on this earth that humbles us. We wake up and are forced to accept our reality every day. Some people think they fail to accept their current reality, only to work hard, do everything to escape that reality, just to be in the vicious cycle of accepting a new reality.

Reality is reality; it can’t be changed. If you think you changed reality, that’s your new reality. Whether things go amazingly well for you, reality is a constant, just like change. Change is a precipitate of reality. No matter how much we strive to alter our circumstances, the new state we achieve becomes our new reality. So, in essence, reality remains constant because it’s always our present state.

I remember reading “Alice in Wonderland” and being fascinated by Alice’s journey into a world where reality was fluid and whimsical. That story, along with quotes from philosophers like Søren Kierkegaard, who said, “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards,” influenced my thinking deeply.

Now, I need you to answer this question: “Do you really accept your reality?” It’s a tough question that requires deep introspection. But in asking it, we begin to understand that acceptance doesn’t mean resignation. It means recognizing the truth of our circumstances and finding the strength to navigate them, all while holding onto the dreams that keep us going.

In exploring how different people cope with reality, I’ve found that some friends find solace in nature, while others immerse themselves in books. This diversity in coping mechanisms shows the universality of the struggle and the varied ways we all try to make sense of our existence.

In the end, perhaps the key is to accept the harsh truth that is reality. To confront it head-on, without the comforting illusions of fantasy, is the true challenge. Reality, in its unvarnished form, forces us to face our limitations, our failures, and our deepest fears. There’s no escape, no magic lamp to grant our wishes. The sooner we accept this, the sooner we can begin to truly understand and navigate the world as it is, rather than as we wish it to be. Embracing the starkness of reality can be daunting, yet it is through this acceptance that we can ground ourselves and find clarity in our paths forward.

Alternatively, perhaps the key is to blend our dreams with our reality, creating a more fulfilling existence. It’s about finding magic in the mundane and realizing that our wishes can inspire us to shape a better reality, even if it’s one small step at a time. By intertwining our aspirations with our everyday lives, we can inject a sense of purpose and wonder into the ordinary. This approach allows us to dream while staying anchored in the present, balancing hope with practicality, and ultimately leading to a life that feels richer and more meaningful.

Whatever Works for you🤷🏽‍♀️