The Cub's Lair

We fall while chasing our dreams, we grow while chasing our dreams, and we laugh while chasing our dreams, even if tears still linger in the corners of our eyes… Perhaps humans are just that kind of creature, loving to dream and loving to chase dreams. Only with a dream can we find our true selves; only with a dream does our existence have value. Finding your dream is a truly blissful thing, because it gives you a direction to strive for and a place for your heart to rest. The process of pursuing a dream is painful; the road is filled with bumps and thorns, and sometimes the path ahead seems completely blurred… I am very fortunate to have found my dream, hard as it may be. But it is what I truly desire, and I know that for a kid like me who loves to slack off, realizing this dream might be a bit difficult. But I will try my best to make myself diligent. Perhaps this concerns my future life—no, not “perhaps”—even if just for my future, when it’s time to fight, I must give it my all! …

I often catch hostile glares from people around me—no real reason, just pure contempt… There are so many reasons to be looked down on by others, to get the cold shoulder, to hear their deliberate sarcasm and scolding. But all of this boils down to one simple reason: I’m not doing well enough.

I used to think that just living happily was the ultimate happiness in life, but that’s not true. You live in a society, so you’re bound to be affected by it. And that is exactly what my inner self cannot tolerate; I simply cannot just turn a blind eye and pretend not to care. So, to them, I can only say: I will do better.

When you do better, no one can gossip or point fingers to blame you. When you do better, others can only look up to you. I still remember a quote from The Season of Flower and Rain: “If you are slightly better than others, they will surely be jealous of you. But if you are miles ahead of them, they can only admire you.” Isn’t that exactly how the real world works?

Maybe my peers and I spend our days either fooling around laughing, or feeling down for some reason or another. But when you are spending your parents’ hard-earned money on entertainment; when you are falling in love, hand-in-hand with your girlfriend (or boyfriend); or even when you feel completely hopeless about life—do you ever think of your family?

It is always when we lose things and can’t get them back that we realize we didn’t cherish them enough. Are we really that busy every day? I’ve never believed we are actually that busy; it’s mostly just an excuse. The truth is simply that we didn’t cherish or prioritize those who matter. And it’s only when they are gone that we are left with the realization of our own past immaturity and a heart full of regret.

I’m bored, I’m restless, I’m depressed… Maybe we’ve all been through this kind of pain, but what should we do when we are feeling down? ~ That’s right, search for happiness! Toss whatever you have on hand to the side. Come with me to find some joy. First, let’s go to a great place. It could be a quiet open space, a cozy bar, a dessert parlor, or something like that~ And then, call up your good friends. Pour your heart out, vent your frustrations, and enjoy the beauty of life together with them. Friends are the easiest key to unlocking happiness…

Just like people nowadays, the word I find myself saying most is “bummed”. Like many slang words, I don’t really know its exact dictionary definition, I just know when it feels right to use it. I haven’t done anything these past few days—just idling around. For some reason, the things I planned to do completely lost their appeal the moment I turned on my computer… Maybe I’m just in a funk, but what I don’t get at all is: what do I even have to be bummed about? Haha, maybe being in a funk is just in season right now, catching on like a common cold, lol.