Though everyone is guided by their own self-interest, they are seldom committed to their promises. Their negligence towards others leaves me speechless: do they find happiness in selfishness? I doubt that can be the case. Time and again, I feel like a victim to this dog eat dog world.

Despite the fact that human beings have been gifted superior intellect and sentience, human relationships remain stymied by selfish desire. Indeed, our minds have allowed us to progress in medicine, science and technology. But we, as individuals, are victims to cynicism and misanthropy. In relationships, we remain constrained by our self-interest.

When it comes to the never-ending march of progress in science or other fields, innovation is guided by common interest. Teams of people work together and transcend individual differences in order to achieve the common goal of progress and prosperity. Why is it not the same for human relationships?

Perhaps the answer lies in Stephen R Covey’s famous quote “the way we see the problem is the problem.” Often, people are too preoccupied with the material world to question it.

Instead of taking cruelty for granted, we should try to look at the world around us in a deeper, more fundamental way. The world is not always cruel: kindness and joy are scattered around our lives, albeit overshadowed by hate and despair.

We assume that selfishness is constant but the only constant is change itself. Priorities change, people change. Perhaps one day, human nature and the nature of human relationships will change. We cannot allow a few hateful acts to drown out love; we cannot allow other’s inhumanity to drown out our own humanity.

Leo Buscaglia once said “A single rose can be my garden. A single friend, my world” I believe this quote aligns well with my own view on life. A single person can be our beacon of happiness. A few seconds of joy can save the soul from ages of agony. These instances of bliss are never out of our reach.

Although we can feel intense sadness, profound happiness can be just around the corner. It can be one step away. One thought away. One kiss away. Sources of joy are everywhere; one just has to push away the negativity that tries to veil them. My theory on life is that life is beautiful. Life doesn’t change. You have a day, a night, and a month, a year. Your life is not what changes.