My Duty

I’m so exhausted with everything I’m doing right now. Sometimes, when I think about myself, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed—why can’t I do better?

But life doesn’t always go the way we expect. There are many things we have to do, and sometimes we have to let go of good opportunities along the way.

I see many of my friends doing what they love, pursuing their passions, and achieving success in what they want to do. I’m genuinely happy for them. When I reflect on my own life, I also take pride in myself for doing something that is, to me, the most significant thing in my life.

If you ask me why I didn’t seize the opportunities that came my way—those that could have brought success, titles, and recognition—I would probably just smile and say nothing.

But deep down, I know that I have a duty that is more important than those opportunities. I wouldn’t be able to rest in peace if I had taken those opportunities and neglected my greater responsibility.

The thing I’ve always valued most is family.

Everyone has a family, and it’s impossible to abandon them without care. Most people only get the chance to take care of their parents when they’re much older. As for me, it might be fate or just sheer luck that I had to start taking care of my mother right after I graduated. She became partially paralyzed, and my father, who was already elderly, grew even older and weaker. Every day, the strength that once allowed him to care for my mother effortlessly dwindles, worn out by years of hard work since his youth.

Now, it’s time for me to make decisions about my future based on my duties. I don’t have many choices, but no matter what path I choose, my duty must always come first.

Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash