Life's Many Conumdrums

Ever since I moved to Tokyo to start my work term, I've had more time to myself to read novels and think. I've read almost 7 novels since September. I mostly do it on the subway to and from work.

So I just finished "Elenor Rigby" by Douglas Coupland, who happens a Canadian author. The story was very light-hearted, whimsical, humerous, and yet it was very thought-provoking. The main character, Liz Dunn went through life, as we all do, with problems. Yet throughout these problems, she manages to stay above the frey and brush off these problems without the slightest thought. By the end, she learned a lot about herself and vowed to change. I'm not going to go into detail but I do recommend everyone to read it.

After the amazing and emotional ending, I had to take deep breath. I was on my way home from work today. Having so much time to yourself isn't always the best thing cause it means you have more time to think about your life problems, your faults and your failures. The thought-provoking story didn't help much either.

Sometimes I feel that I'm the only person in the world with serious emotional and life problems. And I ask myself why does life have to be so complicated. But then as I looked around me on the Tokyo subway train and I realized that everybody has their own problems and obstacles to deal with. Everybody has their happy times and their sad and complicated times. I realized I am not alone in this world. Life is not easy, we have to work hard and make difficult life-changing decisions.

I guess being in a foreign country has really made me realize my own strengths and weaknesses. I'm really thinking too deep into this. But I think self-actualization is important. Learn to know yourself better and life's many conumdrums won't seem as bad as you think they are... well at least I think they wont be.