Written by U1
Sometimes, we find ourselves in a rough patch, our brain being a little bit meaner than usual and our will to work is nowhere to be found. But you know what? It is okay. We may get left behind, but that is fine. Life is not a race.
Dan Kim’s ‘You Can Wind Down from Time to Time’ is a comforting read, consoling you along with quotes from famous storybooks that we used to read as children such as ‘The Little Prince’, ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and many more. If you ever need a refresher and want an easy-to-digest book, this one’s for you.
The following are quotes from the book that made a mark on me and gave me a new perspective on things.
1. “Dang it! What’s wrong with being slow at discovering our talents and succeeding a bit later in life?”
Sometimes it’s easy to get swept up in things, especially in the modern age. In the time of the internet, we see things such as people achieving things at an earlier stage in their life and it makes you think, “What about me? I am _ years old and I still have not achieved anything significant.” But there’s no rush.
So what if you’re over 30 and have only realized what you want to do? There is no shame in that. Do things at your own pace. It will be fine.
2. “It is your destiny that you have met on Earth amongst many planets, and today in the midst of eternity.
If you have watched ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’, or perhaps ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’, then the idea that there may be another version of us in another universe is something that has crossed your mind. While you should not leave everything up to destiny, it is sometimes interesting to think about what destiny has in store for you.
3. “Even though it was a time of no accomplishments, it was when I was able to see the real me.”
Sometimes we need a day to just rest. No work, no stress, just bundled up under the sheets watching K-Drama or getting updates from our favorite K-Pop group. And that is okay. Sometimes we all need that. It is okay if all you did was survive today.
4. “There’s no place like home. You can stay in many houses during trips, but there’s only one home for you. This is probably why we feel comfortable traveling with a roundtrip ticket, not a one-way ticket.”
Home is different for many people. A home may be a person, a place, or that song that you switch to when you need cheering up. Home is something that gives you a familiar, safe, and comforting feeling when you need it the most and something that you will always come back to.
5. “Just as we continue living despite knowing its end, we continue loving despite its impermanence.”
The thing is, we never really know when our last day will be. That is why we must live without any regrets, and if we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, we should grab it. YOLO, you only live once, right?
If you ever feel like the pressures and stress of adulting are a little hard to carry, don’t forget that it’s okay to take a step back from time to time. If you ever need a book to help you through a tough time and give you a little trip down memory lane with your childhood story books, definitely check out Dan Kim’s ‘You Can Wind Down from Time to Time’.