There are around 8.2 billion people living in our world. Our planet has never been as heavily populated by human beings as it is today. There are so many ideas, cultures and thoughts that saturate our lives every single day. There are parts of our world where people are crammed into tiny living spaces that are piled on top of each other. There are places on our planet where people cannot eat, drink or even breathe freely because the quantity of resources available does not match the size of the population. With all of this taking place, it is no wonder that sometimes, it feels like there is no space for us to simply exist.
Nevertheless, as young people, we are responsible for carrying out the heavy task of finding a place for ourselves on this seemingly oversaturated planet. So, when we come face to face with the reality that our world is already full, we naturally find ourselves wondering how it is that we can find a space for our place.
Recently, I discovered that we have only explored around five percent of our oceans. Our oceans spread across millions of square kilometres on the Earth’s surface. In fact, most of the Earth’s surface is made up of water and not land. Regardless of this fact, we have been unable to scratch beyond the surface of these mysterious water bodies due to the dangerous temperatures and high pressures that occur deep within them.
There are, however, entire industries that still depend on the ocean to survive. We still use the ocean to transport goods and to travel. We use the ocean to find food, and to do many other things. We use the ocean so much that we have begun to pollute it. At a single glance, it may appear as if we have already consumed the entirety of the ocean and saturated it, just like we have done with our lands. We know, though, that the ocean remains vastly unexplored. This means that there is still so much potential and space that we have not yet begun to uncover.
Just like our oceans, the potential that lies in a single human life remains vastly undiscovered. Finding space is not about competing against the world’s growing population, but instead about finding the best way in which you can leave a positive impact. This fact is often overshadowed by the constant competition that lies in even the most mundane parts of life, such as finding jobs, writing examinations or even finding a home to live in.
You can find space for your place even in the most crowded parts of the world. On the other hand, you may find yourself feeling trapped and uncomfortable even in a place where there is very little competition. You will know that you have found your place when you encounter a role that makes you feel fulfilled and at peace. You will know that you have found your place when you would not choose to be anywhere else.
