The Land of Miracle Pills

What is a miracle pill? The first example that comes to my mind is diet pills. If you have ever seen a commercial for these pills, it probably has some extreme side by side photos, maybe one or two Hollywood stars and a claim for fast-acting results everyone will notice. My grievance is not with the overused advertisement strategy, but, with the implication. The pressure caused by a simple declaration, "this will solve your problem."

It takes a high amount of trial and error to find something that speaks to us. In earlier eras, we were forced to take risks. No one was there informing us of the new and improved path; there was no fire-sale on the next self-help book. In our age, it seems all of the roads have been made for us. The travelers, not only have conquered these trails, but they now offer you the answers they've found at the end. No work, just one low price of 29.99.

If you could save yourself the pain of failure would you? I did. I purchased answers from anyone who offered. Reading the results, taking the steps, my experience never seemed to lead me to the same hypothesis. Failing to find happiness the way others have, I began losing trust with the voice inside my head. It was starting to get drowned out. Numbed by the sounds, I began to accept whatever path I was currently on.

The "Miracle Pills" of; religion, wealth, status, and body image were all sold to me in time of vulnerability. The frequent use of these paths seemed to glorify their reality. Overcrowded, we put in the work for a promised happiness at the end. No visual over the person in front of me or behind. Shuffling forward, they step, I step, they climb, and I do the same — an unfortunate side effect of following others.

I had to step out from behind my parent's, friend's, and society's paths. It was not my own. I knew it in my bones. It is a perplexing issue; it would stand to logic that if you followed the path of happy people, you would become satisfied yourself. In my years, I have found no path that leads everyone to happiness. I spent my fair share of years following a way I knew I would not find joy in. I stuck around because as I looked around, I saw a group of smiles. Forced? I could not tell, but, I could never get that emotion to emulate from me. Real or fake.

The only person who knows what you need is the one in the mirror. He has not always been a friend. Honest, some days. Manipulative and brutal, others. He is the one with the answers to my happiness. Like any relationship, it takes time. One on one, asking the hard questions with an open mind accepting whatever is said.

Then, we must act. Accept your strengths and more importantly your short cummings. This forces us to see a realistic view of what we are, and what we genuinely have to offer. The hand that picks us up, out of the dirt, must belong to us. Trial and error, pain and adjustment. We must step out from behind others. We are our own light at the end of the tunnel.