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Tortoiseshell Glasses

“I'm not wearing these frames ironically…”

September 15, 2010 THREE LITTLE WORDS (MORE)

It’s amazing how three words can make you pause and reflect and come out of the thought a better person. But that’s what happened to me today during an email exchange with a friend. I was complaining — as I often do — about the magazine and how it was getting really difficult to manage from Toronto, and how people weren’t responding to my emails or requests. “I don’t know what to do anymore,” I wrote, only half-jokingly; “I give up.”

I’m not sure how my friend took that email — if he thought I was being over-dramatic and sarcastic or if I was really as exasperated as I seemed — but I know how I felt, and it wasn’t good. It was a feeling of impending doom, like everything was about to crash on me and I was too sluggish and incompetent to avoid being crushed. (See what I mean? Over-dramatic). And then, my friend emailed me back with a short, but effective response: “Never give up.”

It was so simple and yet so powerful. It was in writing, in an email, in a casual exchange, and yet it felt so strong, like a coach patting his player on the back and encouraging him to get back on the field to score the winning touchdown. I reflected on those three words for a minute and thought about what a punch they packed. “Never give up.” It should be my anthem or motto (although that would be a little cliche right?). Either way, my friend invigorated me with those three words more than some people do in an entire conversation. And I’m inspired to not give up and to keep plugging away at my dreams.