Relief or pain?

Yesterday, I received a very unique, supportive message. Things with such strong emotional content always inspire me, so I no longer have to worry about where to start. The message contained many very important sentences, but the one I would highlight looked something like this:

"…and in my opinion, there is always equal amount of relief as there is pain in that process of ending one.”

This opinion made me think because it's not only those who have tried to build a company and then had to let it go who can relate, but anyone who has tried to pour all their existing energy, time, and emotion into something, only for it to come to an end. So, surely, most people.

This perspective led me to ponder what else is equally balanced in such a situation. My answer to this question is that almost everything. I have a long list in my head of what was good and what was bad over the past three years. This list, at least in feeling, is completely balanced. Somewhere, this is entirely logical because people generally turn away from something when this balance is significantly disrupted. Of course, the picture can be shaded by how much we've already put into something, but usually, it doesn't reach complete irrationality.

So, this decision, and the change, now feels like a logical thing to me, in which relief and pain are truly found in equal measure, and over the past years, joy and sorrow, good and bad, ups and downs.

But after all, isn't that what life is about?

And speaking of life. At this point, unfortunately, I have to make room for something that has shocked our entire Hungarian rowing community in recent days and occupies a large part of my thoughts.

A friend of ours, in an unfortunate scooter accident just a few days before his 21st birthday, tragically left us suddenly. The zest for life, emotional devotion, loving nature mixed with a large dose of mischief offered very easy points of connection. All this will be greatly missed, and I can only quote again: "This whole thing is so unbelievable that I really hope it didn't even happen.." Farewell, Bence! 🖤