If a tree falls in the forest with no one around to hear it, does it still make a sound? This age-old question has a deeper meaning than just fallen trees. It’s also a question of value, do the things you do matter, even if they seemingly don’t directly affect anyone nearby?
The answer, of course, is yes. When you consider yourself as the tree. What comes to mind? Maybe it’s a young sapling just starting to sprout branches and leaves, or perhaps an old tree that’s been around for years. Even though there are millions of trees, each one is not the same. There are different types of trees; some flower, some bear fruit, some provide a home for wildlife nearby, and some may hold a hammock to swing in on a hot summer day. Even if they don’t serve any of these specific purposes, it’s not useless. All trees also provide oxygen to surrounding life, giving them a purpose.
You may have heard the term “one in a million”. However, there are over 8 billion people in the world, so if we were to go by this phrase, it would mean that there are roughly 8 thousand people in the world who are just like you. However, this is not true. Not one person looks exactly like you, has the same interests and passions as you, quirks, and dislikes as you, and so on. Your DNA is completely unique to you - if you had different parents or they came together at a different time, there would’ve been a completely different result. Even if you’re a twin, chances are you’re not 100% identical in how you act, how you think, what you like and don’t like. In the same way, trees are all slightly different in shape, size, color, and number of leaves they grow.
The Biblical book of Genesis explains that we were created in God’s image. God knit us together in our mothers’ womb exactly how God wanted. He took special care when creating us: he spoke the beginning of creation into existence, whereas when he formed Adam, he got down into the dirt and formed him with his hands and breathed life into his nostrils. It was made clear from the very beginning that God had a plan for us all to do great things.
Even if you don’t believe in these things, you can believe that you have a purpose in life. You may not know exactly what that purpose may be yet, but you do have one. This gives you value. Just like the hypothetical tree from before, even if your purpose in life isn’t as obvious as it is for others, you still contribute to the world around you.
Sometimes it feels like our personal value comes from the things we do, the grades we earn, the friends we have, or the position we hold at work. We start to center our lives around these things because they make us feel better about ourselves. As a college student, sometimes I feel as though my worth comes from my abilities and achievements. If you don’t get good grades, if you don’t have a big friend group, if you don’t get a good job after high school or college, then what’s the point?
This is incorrect. We make friends because we have value; we don’t gain or lose value when friends come and go. We earn recognition and opportunities because we have something to offer, not the other way around. Just because you’re not musically talented or weren’t top of your class in high school or are athletic, doesn’t mean you don’t have something else that’s uniquely powerful to offer to the world. Even if your value isn’t visible from the outside, that doesn't mean it doesn’t exist.
Even if it doesn’t always feel like it, there will always be someone who values your existence. Peeta Mellark from the Hunger Games franchise once said, “Our lives are not measured in years. They are measured in the lives we touch around us.” You touch people’s lives every day whether or not you realize it. A simple “How are you” or a smile or an offhand compliment can change someone’s entire day.
Like our hypothetical tree from before, even if you don’t always feel seen because you’re surrounded by others who seem to shine more than you, you can make a difference in someone else. You have value because you are an individual with the ability to make a difference.
If you feel like your life is worthless, that you can’t make a difference, there is hope. Take the first step today, reach out to a Professional Counselor to learn more. We are eager to hear you, to know you, and to help.
Bình luận