Do you remember the last time you held a brand new telephone cable? Sturdy, unbending, a symbol of durability. It’s the kind of cable you’d want to keep forever.

Now, fast forward a bit. That same cable, once rigid, is now a twisted, battered version of its former self. It’s been through a lot. People must have treated it poorly. Restoring its original form seems nearly impossible.

As I observed this weary cable, an unusual emotion welled up within me. Was it a sense of contentment or regret? It wasn’t until I glanced into the mirror of the washroom that I realized what it was: sympathy. Sympathy for… a telephone cable?

I gazed at my reflection for a while, contemplating my daily routines. The way I rise late, move about, sit for extended periods, and sometimes procrastinate. It echoed the image of the cable I had seen earlier, prompting deeper introspection.

That cable serves as a metaphor for our habits. Whether constructive or detrimental, they mold our trajectory. Initially, we hold firm, resilient in our stance, bouncing back effortlessly to our default position. Over time, however, our notion of comfort morphs in tandem with the cable’s transformation. Much like the cable, we subject ourselves to mistreatment, cultivating poor habits that gradually lead to bending.

Awakening late, adopting poor posture, indulging in vices—these behaviors become ingrained, weaving a pattern. Before we realize it, we’re caught in a loop of contortions. If I persist in this direction, I’ll inevitably become entangled, rendering recovery nearly impossible. It’s time for a change, a shift toward betterment.

I set aside my phone, picked up a book, and began the process of substituting detrimental habits with more constructive ones. I can’t be certain if these new habits are all beneficial, but here I am, writing. Writing to caution others to self-reflect. What do you see, and how far have you come? For many, the answer may not be pleasant, but there’s a truth that supersedes it all: it doesn’t matter. We can always attempt something new and extricate ourselves from the tangle.

A quote from “Who Moved My Cheese?” resonates with me: “If we don’t change, we can go extinct.” Let’s embark on the journey of self-improvement, one step at a time. Reading brings solace, and writing empowers me. So, read and write I shall, determined to become a slightly better version of myself each day, and the day after that.