I’m 20 years old, and never in a million years did I ever think that as a sophomore in college, I would find out that not one, but two girls my age who I know from growing up have been diagnosed with cancer — all within the span of just two short months. Now, neither of these girls I would say was a close friend, we mostly just know of each other from living nearby and going to camp together, but regardless, this tragic news has really hit me hard. So many people just keep telling me that it isn’t my problem and that I need to do my best to not think about it because there is nothing I can do. To those people, you are wrong. I can become the girl that stops wasting time, and I can inspire others to do the same.
It’s funny how, at the moment, a petty thing like having to study for an exam, talk to a grandparent on the phone or do laundry can become a burden when in the grand scheme of life, these things are true blessings. The fact that you are getting an education is a blessing. Sure, studying for exams is boring and not the most exciting way to spend your time, but if you think about it, you have an amazing opportunity that not everyone gets to experience. Or the time you are out with friends and your grandfather calls wanting to talk to you, how amazing is it that your grandfather is not only living but loves you enough to call randomly and just ask how you are doing? And while doing laundry certainly isn’t the best thing on your to-do list, it’s something that you get to do as a young, healthy person who is about to venture out into the world on their own, which if you think about it makes doing laundry pretty damn great.
So, the guy you’ve been texting turned out to be a total jerk, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and remind yourself that there are plenty of people out there to meet and that you should be so grateful to be able to search for them. Life is a precious gift that shouldn’t be wasted on fighting over whether to get sushi or tacos; it is an opportunity to learn, grow, and explore. Every single day that we are healthy is another day that we can choose to have fun, hold close the ones we love and take in the world around us.
This is why it is important to take care of yourself, not just physically, but across the board. If you are healthy, you are incredibly lucky. Eat right, exercise, get plenty of rest and most importantly be spontaneous. If you really want to eat that cookie, do it. If you want to go to that concert on a school night, do it. Live life so that if you woke up tomorrow and suddenly weren’t healthy, you would have no regrets. Now, I’m not saying you should quit school or your job and just start traveling the world doing everything you have ever wanted to do, but what I am saying is that you should learn to appreciate the little things about life that you never saw before.
For instance, on a cold winter day here in the Midwest, if the sun is shining, take a moment, close your eyes, face towards the sun and just take a deep breath. For that split second let the warmth hit your cheeks and fill you with happiness that you might have missed if you were moving too quickly. For that last bite of your amazing Ian’s pizza lunch, do this again. Close your eyes, take a breath and savor it, letting the greasy goodness fill you up yet again with happiness that you never knew was there. There is so much focus on all the negatives that happen in our daily lives we forget to make room to search for the good that is hiding just around the corner.
If you are stuck in an unhappy place, don’t be afraid to make the changes necessary to find your own happiness. Do not let the fear of change prevent you from doing what is best for you. While staying friends with someone that you have known forever can be comforting, if they do not treat you the right way changing your relationship with that person could help you find new happiness you never thought existed. Eating whatever you want, whenever you want can certainly be a valid coping mechanism for dealing with the struggles of everyday life, but making a lifestyle change is something that can cause you to look in the mirror and smile every time. Little changes in your perspective of what it really means to be struggling can cause you to discover that the burdens you use to carry are now blessings in disguise.
If I have learned anything at all from seeing how chance can take the health of young women just like me, it is that life isn’t always the party we hoped for, but while we’re here we should choose to dance!
Sincerely,
A Girl Who Stopped Wasting Time