Paradise

Paradise  — a fantasy I’m sure many of us share. Paradise, by definition, is an ideal or idyllic place or state, and in some religions, heaven as the ultimate abode of the just. However, it may be different for each and every one of us, depending on what we consider Paradise to be. 

Paradise, to one, could be filled with an endless amount of money, free to spend to our heart’s content. After all, with this wealth, nothing will ever be too expensive to be bought. To another, it could be full of sandy beaches and vast oceans, leaving them to spend their days lounging under the sun, sipping iced sodas and swimming in the warm waters. Or maybe, Paradise could be a simple two-roomed apartment, mattresses covered with satin sheets that seem to never run out, and fridges that never lay empty for more than a day. To me, for example, Paradise is a classroom that is never empty, friends flitting in and out from time to time, keeping me company in this eternal satisfaction.

But, as the saying goes, nothing comes free in life. If our Paradise truly existed, what would be willing to give up for it? If They asked for a dollar, would you give it? If They asked for a book, would you buy it? If They asked for a life, would you take it? 

Would you trade your time for it? Would you offer your comfort, your dreams, or even your memories in exchange for your very own Paradise?

Happiness is never without a cost. In the stories we hear, in the myths passed down from generation to generation, there is always a price to pay. Whether it’s the trade of innocence or the sacrifice of something we hold dear, no utopia is truly without its shadows.

We often chase this idea of a perfect ending, not realizing that in our pursuit, we may lose something greater—our sense of self. We may find that the wealth, the endless beaches, or even the perfect home with the satin sheets and well-stocked fridge, might not be as fulfilling as we once imagined. Perhaps, in seeking an ideal, we forget that perfection isn't found in a place but in how we live, but in how we choose to exist in the time we have.

So, perhaps, the greatest gift of all is not a Paradise at all—but the realization that we already possess the power to shape our lives into something extraordinary. It’s up to us to decide how to fill the pages of our own story, and in doing so, shape the Paradise we’ve always dreamed of.

Clara Chan

2 Wisdom

2025