Once upon a time, there was a man, rigid in his regimen and routine. Every day, he woke up in the same way. He made his bed, brushed his teeth, and read the same newspaper he'd been reading for 20 years. One day, the newspaper stopped getting delivered. As a result, the man could no longer stick to his rigid morning routine. Consequently, he became frustrated and hopeless, questioning the purpose of it all and allowing his life to spiral into chaos. Eventually, he made peace with what was out of his control and decided to focus on what was within his control. He resolved that, no matter what, he would wake up every day with a smile. Certainly uncertain.
Once upon a time, there was a young gymnast who dreamed of going to the Olympic Games. Every day, she trained hard and progressed towards her goal, winning all the competitions in which she participated. One day, she landed on her back and injured her spine. As a result, she could no longer compete and wouldn't be able to achieve her goal. Consequently, she became angry and depressed - she hated that she had worked so hard but could not control her destiny. Eventually, she shifted her mindset. Above all, she promised herself that, no matter what happened, she would always have something she was working towards, regardless of whether she got there or not. And she became one of the best gymnastics coaches in the world. Certainly uncertain.
Once upon a time, there was a teenage boy who loved reading and writing, and wanted to write a book one day. Every day, he spent hours reading books of all sorts and, as he got older, he used them as inspiration to write a novel of his own. One day, he sent his novel to a publisher, but they said it was far from good enough. As a result, he lost hope that he would ever be able to publish his work. Consequently, he stopped reading and writing, and spent his evenings drinking himself to sleep. Eventually, he realized that he wanted to write, even if he couldn't control whether he got published or not. And eventually, he did get a novel published. But that didn't matter too much to him anymore. He had already decided he would write, regardless of things outside his control. Certainly uncertain.
Once upon a time, there was a widowed grandmother who loved to cook for her family. Every day, she went to the market to buy fresh ingredients, and cooked up a storm, finding so much joy in the smiles of her children and grandchildren. One day, she lost her family in a tragic accident. There had been a tsunami that hit their town, and she was the only one to survive. As a result, she no longer had anyone to cook for and missed her family dearly. Consequently, she cried herself to sleep in the evenings, only thinking about how much longer she had to endure life. Eventually, she cooked a meal again. And in the smell and taste of the food, she could close her eyes and see the smiles of her family. From then on, she chose to put a little bit of love and effort into every meal, regardless of who she was making it for. Certainly uncertain.
Once upon a time, there was a young man, in love with a girl. Every day, they grew closer - going on countless adventures and conversing endlessly about life and all its mysteries. One day, she shared with him that she was uncertain about the future, and that she had to think before making any promises to him about their future. As a result, the man grew uneasy and impatient, and started to question his own thoughts and feelings. Consequently, he wanted to end the relationship, even when she told him she was sure. And so, they went their separate ways, both heartbroken. Eventually, he chose love, regardless of whether he was loved back. And he found her. And he spent the rest of his life loving her, unconditionally. Certainly uncertain.
"The one thing you can't take away from me is the way I choose to respond to what you do to me. The last of one's freedoms is to choose one's attitude in any given circumstance."
- Viktor E. Frankl