I recently came across an article in the newspaper and read the following lines:
“Life is complicated and vast and even beautiful sometimes. Frankly, to simply be yourself while participating in it, that’s a pretty great love story too.” – Anne T. Donahue.
Naturally, this made me wonder. Am I in love with my life? This question was complicated, and so was my answer.
I often find myself becoming wrapped up in my studying to the point where life, in all its glory, seems like a bullet train passing me by. Quite honestly, it had been a while since I could truly and genuinely say that I was in love with my life. I used to be a true romantic at heart. I loved the movies that displayed life like a beautiful and quirky string of events. Except in real life, the one that I lead was nothing like Bridget Jones’s Diary or Notting Hill. For the most part, it was the most mundane experience, especially in these unprecedented times. Sure, there were exceptions, like the girl’s trip to Italy that my mother and I had embarked on, or the times my family and I would reminisce about past memories around the dinner table, or the times my friends and I laughed till we couldn’t breathe. But, for the most part, I was afraid I had lost the love I had for life. To fully experience it in all its glory seemed an insurmountable task.
I knew I had to make it my mission to start loving and fully immersing myself in my life. This meant appreciating the little things and paying attention to what made me happy. It meant appreciating the way Milo, my puppy, wags his tail in the morning when he lays eyes on me. It meant cherishing every moment I spent with my grandmother. It meant laughing until tears came out of my eyes with my friends. It meant holding on to the hope that through the mishaps, the ups and downs of life, that one day it would all become an anecdote. Why can’t my life be a romantic movie where everything turns out fine at the end of the day? After all, I am in charge of how I lead my life. And so, I choose to be in love with it. I choose to not let the tough times get to me. I choose to believe that there is something greater out there, waiting for me.
Although I am still working on the whole concept of ‘falling in love with every moment’, I find that somehow, I am happier. I encourage you to try this. Maybe make a list of the things that makes you smile through the day. I know it may sound silly, but as Anne T. Donahue said, participating in life is a pretty great love story, and we all deserve to have our very own.
James Taylor sings the following lyrics in his song, Secret O’ Life:
“Nobody knows how we got to
The top of the hill
But since we’re on our way down
We might as well enjoy the ride”
I choose to enjoy the ride that is life. Will you?