Becoming a phoenix

Randy Pausch in his amazing book "The Last Lecture" (that I recommend to anyone who hasn't read it yet) wrote a quote that will forever remain close to my heart.

"It's not how hard you hit. It's how hard you get hit...and keep moving forward."

Living in Taiwan, I see dragons everywhere. The dragon, as you all might know, is the only animal in the Chinese Horoscope that isn't a real animal. Legend tells that Confucius was the only person on Earth to ever see a dragon, and this is why it is extremely important in the Chinese culture. All memorials and temples are decorated with countless dragons; strong and invincibles, full of wisdom, guardians of the Truth and a good luck charm. The dragon is so important for the Chinese that it became the symbol to identify the emperors of the ancient dynasties.

What a concept! Who wouldn't want to be a dragon?

Even though I was born in the year of the Dragon (that is considered one of the biggest blessings for a newborn), I choose and decide not to become a dragon.

In the temples, behind the hundreds of colorful and golden dragons, lies another mythical creature that is often overlooked due to the dragon's greatness and undeniable presence. Nevertheless, this creature also has a strong meaning for the Chinese culture, so important that it became the symbol for the Empress. Despite all that, that creature is hidden for those who don't take the time to look beyond the shocking dragons;

This creature is the phoenix.

Fragile and small in comparison to the great dragon, this creature possesses a quality that became a life lesson to me; near the end of its life, the phoenix ignites itself burning fiercely until only ashes remain. From the ashes, a new, young phoenix will arise, reborn anew to live again. To learn and be reborn from its own pain .

When I pray, I don't ask God to know the Truth, nor to be perfect, fierce or to always be right. I don't even ask Him to have a perfect life. I ask Him, above all things, to always let me be a phoenix in all the situations life has waiting for me; that no matter all the punches life has given me (and will continue to give me) He will grant me the wisdom to learn each lesson behind every painful moment I have yet to face, and the strength to be born anew; to start all over again, to rise with my head up high, humbled and with new knowledge to continue moving forward, with a life lesson learned. I ask Him to show me that the opportunities He gives us have no limit or number, and that it is never to late to start again. That everything has a solution if there is a will to solve what is not right. I pray for Him to humble me enough to learn to listen instead of talking, and to grant me the love to leave behind differences and focus on what is truly essential.

As of today, after countless punches and painful moments, I have a phoenix tattooed on my foot. Every time a storm hits hard and life becomes unbearable, I look down and see my own little phoenix sleeping quietly on my right foot, reminding me of my own inner strength.



Life can be tough and painful, but as I look at my phoenix I always remember that you can never defeat those who refuse to give up.