Student Publications
University of Houston
151C Communications Bldg
Houston, TX 77204-4015
713.743.5350

©1991-2007
Student Publications,
All rights reserved.

Last modified:

Contact:
ktruitt@uh.edu

Opinion

Tragedy may beget opportunity

Darrel Holnes
Opinion Columnist

It is said that everything in life happens for a reason. 

Most people who live by this axiom believe there is some celestial purpose behind it and each occurrence is vested with deep philosophical significance. It is debatable whether this is true or not. 

Nonetheless sometimes it is difficult to see the brighter side of a situation and the opportunity cost is not worth it at all when you lose. These are the toughest times to deal with disappointment, as it seems that your misery does not serve a better community good but just sucks.

What to do? Well, it's not very easy, but we must move on, get through and get over the emotional difficulties created by the setback. This is easier said than done. 

Ever since it was announced that Lenny Kravitz and Aerosmith were coming to Houston, I've been anticipating their show. I am a die-hard fan of both artists and had everything set and planned out from very early on. But because of circumstances beyond my control, I was met with disappointment. 

Over the winter break, the friend with whom I was going got into a car accident. Long story short, I missed the one concert I had been dying to see all year. My friend and I are just as close now as we were before, and the stress of finding someone else to go with and last-minute tickets has exhausted me. 

It's very hard for me to see the bright side, but sometimes we are saving ourselves, or someone else, from a greater hurt or pain. 

I may never know why it was written in the stars for me not to attend, but it is still important for me to let go and move on. I spent the time that I would have been at the concert catching up with a friend I hadn't seen since last semester, and by the end of the night, I was back to my old cheerful self again. 

There are certain events such as the death of a friend or other sources of severe disappointment that might require more time and effort than usual to really get over the situation. But keep in mind that many times, the answer to getting over something is simply letting time pass. 

Let your mind go and occupy yourself with different things, and soon, something will trigger your memory about what you had missed out on, and you'll still feel disappointed, but you'd have realized that there are possibly better things -- and certainly more important things -- to look forward to. 

At the time of the initial disappointment, you might feel like it is the end of the world, or that things will never be the same, but just remember not to take life too seriously. It is full of surprises, and for every disappointment, there is a moment of great surprise. 

I'm sure I will be able to catch Lenny Kravitz again in years to come and Aerosmith as well, if not the band's successor. 

Holnes, an opinion columnist for The Daily Cougar, 
can be reached at darrelholnes@hotmail.com.