This past weekend I saw the movie “Dr. Strange” (it was incredible- especially if you’re a Marvel fanatic you should totally go see it).  One particular section of the movie, not to give away spoilers, basically goes to teach us that we’re looking at life through a keyhole.  We can only really see a fraction of what’s out there and what life’s meaning truly is.  I like to think that there is always a much bigger picture, one that we tend to forget about during the hustle and bustle of our daily lives.  Often when I’m feeling overwhelmed or stressed I like to stop and think about the fact that I am one of several billion people on this planet, and that this planet is a spherical rock essentially hanging in the middle of empty space in a universe that is mostly hostile to life.  That tends to humble me a bit, and puts my stressors into perspective.

To think of how small we each are and to simultaneously think of how much we impact others is nothing short of incredible to me.  There’s so much more that we haven’t yet learned, both individually and as a human race.  There are so many secrets that our universe holds that we have yet to discover.  I think that if we can understand the complexity and wonder of simply being alive, we can learn to deal with almost anything life throws at us.

Taking a moment every so often to sit and simply contemplate the wonders of being alive can be extremely beneficial.  Not only does it help us realize that our day to day hardships are often manageable, but it can change our outlook on life in a positive way.  It’s like a form of meditation that can realign our ways of thinking for the better.  It’s proven that changing your thoughts can change your life, so why not change it in a great way?

The reason I decided to write this post was from last minute inspiration that came from my own life experiences these past few weeks.  College has been a lot more difficult outside of academics than I thought it would be, and dealing with it on my own has proven to be a challenge.  Seeing Dr. Strange and realizing that there’s so much more to life than what makes it stressful helped me cope with my hardships and pull myself back together.  I’d encourage anyone who’s going through a tough time to stop and do the same.  Know that you’re never alone in this world, that everything from the grass beneath your feet to the moon in the sky is a complex miracle in itself, and know that there’s so much more for you to understand if you open your mind.

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