Kelly Li

Idealism is inherent in the youthful and inexperienced - a belief that there’s always the possibility for good. Hopefully, it’s something that’s doesn’t fully diminish over the course of a life, but I think in most cases it does get chipped away - with every tragedy, every heartbreak, every disappointment. It’s an unfortunate part of growing older and simply put, it’s a part of life.

These past few months, due to a combination my own personal experiences and those of people close to me, I’ve come to understand more how as much as you might want to hold on to those ideals and notions of what you held dear when you were younger… it may not be fully possible. You come to realize that nothing is exactly fully black and white. There are so many shades of gray. Living a life of there only being right or wrong is living a life that is closed off and unfulfilled.

For me, there are things… notions, ideals, whatever you want to call them that I’ll always hold close. I’m not perfect, but imperfection allows us to strive towards growth and perfection. It gives us something to constantly reach for, and that’s what really matters. The end result of success is usually a fleeting moment. It’s the journey that we’ll remember for a lifetime. That’s a lesson that you come to learn more and more with each passing moment.

Idealism isn’t simply for the naive or inexperienced. Idealism is for those that are wise enough to realize that without it, life isn’t really worth living.