Eighteen. Eight. Deens.

There is something quiet, unsettling, so do heartbreaking in my thoughts of becoming this age. A balance between beginning (1) and the sense of the unlimited (8), stretched far beyond numbers, resting instead in something deeply philosophical

This time i do not want to share the sucks of life, the red tangled threads, the difficult paths, or the uncertain decisions of my 18th life on this earth. I simply want to experience it in a more beautiful way.

Frankly, i am about to share it in some different disciplines.

1. In judaism, 18 comes from the Hebrew word “chai” (חי), meaning LIFE. It’s a way of saying, “I give life, I honor life.”
2. In the Gospel of Luke 13:10(17), where Jesus heals a woman who was possessed by a spirit and had been bent over for 18 years. This what says, a long of hardship.
3. The 18 elements (dhātus) in Buddhism are a classification of all mental and physical phenomena that constitute the process of perception and human experience. They are categorized into three groups: six sense organs, six sensory objects, and six consciousnesses.
4. Bhagavad Gita is a sacred teaching in the form of a dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna (18 chapters/700 verses) in the Mahabharata, which teaches the path of truth (Dharma), devotion, and true knowledge. On of its quote is “You have the right to do your work, but not the right to its results. Do not let the results of your actions be your goal, and do not be attached to laziness” (Chapter 2, Verse 47).”

In the Quran, we find a subtle connection in Surah Al-Kahf, turning into some powerful stories, such as (5) story of the people of the cave, (6) story of Nabi Musa and Nabi Khidr, and (7) story of Dzulkarnain.

Hence, what does it means of reaching this late youth categorization of eight? Does it mean have the all maturity in your right hands? Yes, maybe it is the beginning of that phase.

But for me, (8) It is realizing that I have been lost, again and again. That there are things I still do not understand. That I am still becoming.

And yet, it is continuing anyway. Not because everything is clear, but because something within me still chooses to believe.