Last night we welcomed the new year with sparklers, balloons, music and above all with a lot of joy. And this morning I woke up to a phone call that reminded me that life, as one of my patients said, is like a roller coaster. Facing obstacles can become the daily bread. It’s just what it is. But living from reality has its positive points. At first it is difficult, the adrenaline is running high. Just like  being on a roller coaster. When you go up all is calm and peace and suddenly it takes off. It is in these ups and downs  where endurance, stamina, and strength of character are obtained. It is where is decided whether I will resist or give up on my dreams. Will I stay on this roller coaster or choose something less risky?

The moment you look at it like that, you realize that there are not many options. The least risky would be what we said before, the casual, the momentary, what doesn’t last. Something like standing on sand. Depending on what direction the wind blows, it will bring you here or carry you there. You will never have stability, you will never have strength, you will never be certain of anything. On the other hand, when you decide to stay on it, you know that the takeoff energy lasts only a few moments, it will soon slow down and the time will come to go up again. A time of calm and peace. Time to build and rebuild. Time to grow, to reaffirm, to love, to hug, to enjoy. Always attached to the truth, to reality, to what it is. Always walking towards the goal, without backing down.

The battle you are facing is not the most difficult you have faced or that you will face, it is simply felt on the surface of the skin. Every step you take forward brings you closer to your destiny. Don’t back down. There’s no time to go back. Life goes by so fast. Remember that whoever receives you on the other side of the race are the ones God has set aside, ready for that moment. It is difficult to think that those we would like to be there may no longer be with us or will not be. Maybe they were just part of your formation. They took a very important part of your life. They pushed you to make decisions, to forge yourself to be better, maybe they caused you stress and anxiety, but it was necessary. Without all that you wouldn’t be here today, at this crucial moment of your life. Making such important decisions. Decisions that, although true, have caused you tears, are also the ones that fill you with hope. Decisions that allow you to keep dreaming.

What would life be without dreams? Isn’t it the illusion of those dreams what gives us the energy and vitality to face obstacles with courage and determination? Today begins a new chapter in your life. Maybe the best of all. Live it. Remember that you have to live it. Every moment counts. Every emotion. Everything that life presents to you is a gift. Every instant brings you moments that form pieces of that puzzle that you are anxious to see finished. But what will happen when you finish it? Would you want to start another puzzle? You better enjoy every time you place a new piece. That piece is like a glimpse of the image you are creating, but it still leaves you space to continue imagining what is to come. The pieces you still need to find along the way will only make that image better.