The tunnel

The tunnel is a metaphor for those periods when everything looks negative: the low points, the rough patches, the lean times.

When we are in the tunnel, we talk more than we would like, eat more than we need, spend more than we can afford, and complain more than usual. Life feels heavy, everyday responsibilities seem unfair, and others become our tormentors.

When we emerge, we reconnect with the best in ourselves: the joy of living, the pleasure of human connection, and the beauty of simple things.

The difficulty is that once we are inside the tunnel, we forget that we are going through a rough patch. We judge, react, and make decisions as though we had complete clarity. In doing so, we may damage what took us so much effort to build: marriages, friendships, family relationships, and professional projects.

That is why it is important to recognize what leads us into the tunnel. Sometimes it is pride, when we need to sustain our self-esteem through achievements and recognition. Other times, it is self-pity, when we feel misunderstood and begin to see ourselves as victims of everything that happens to us.

We lose ourselves in that darkness until the sun comes out again. Often, this happens when we stop fighting everything around us, recognize that we have drifted away from our values and principles, and finally lay down our arms.

Finding our way out of the tunnel begins when we stop blaming the darkness and dare to look at what led us there. When we lay down our weapons, let go of our pride, and stop seeing ourselves as victims, the path begins to reappear. And with it comes the possibility of choosing who we want to be.

I hope that if you are in the tunnel, you notice it. And that if you are under the sun, you enjoy it.