Monday, June 7, 2010

Forever Young

Hadn't updated this in awhile because I have been pretty busy. This past weekend was the first time in over 2 months I didn't have someone staying with me, the first time in over 6 weeks I didn't go downtown, and the first time in a over month I didn't float the river. Other than grocery shopping I accomplished very little except for some pool time and some serious R&R.

Sometimes I have trouble turning my brain off and truly being able to let myself relax and enjoy where I'm at. I see people all around me taking very different life paths then the one I am currently traveling. I have friends getting married, having children, others off traveling the world, starting their careers, buying houses. It amazes me sometimes to think that I really am 23, really on my own making it in the "real world," and really have gotten to this place in my life.

When I was at the pool by myself on Saturday I saw a little boy not any older than 5 playing by the pool. I saw the sheer joy in his eyes when his dad started playing catch with him. And I could honestly remember what it felt like to be that kid. To not have a care in the world, to have absolutely no idea what I was suppose to be when I grew up, and not caring. To not have every moment of my life scripted out for me, but to be able to just enjoy being alive and doing care free things, like playing catch with my dad.

I find myself watching the slideshow of pictures I have on my computer as my screen saver. Maybe I'm vane, but I find myself constantly thinking as the pictures scroll by just how lucky I am. I've had an absolutely amazing life. I've seen some incredible things, been to some awesome places, and have met some of the most interesting people I can think of. But at the end of the day, the thing I'm most thankful for are the people in my life who have helped me get to this place where I am today.

I'm thankful I saw that little kid playing, and that I was able to have a weekend alone to stop, take a breath, and remember the things that have made me such a happy person almost my entire life. Sure I've had a lot of hardships I had to overcome, but for every sad or negative situation that has happened to me, I can think of a 100more happy positive ones that trump those. Nothing in life is perfect, no one is perfect, and you can't enjoy the sweet without the sour, so I'm as thankful for the bad times as I am the good.

I think what I'm trying to say is sometimes when life seems like its flying by, sometimes its best to just stop; remove yourself from the fast lane for awhile; and just remember to enjoy the little things. I'm a 5 year old trapped in a 23 year old body, and I hope that never changes. I have my responsibilities, I take care of my business, but at the end of the day I hope to always be young at heart. Life is too short to take seriously all the time, and if you don't stop and smell the roses every once in awhile, you'll wake up one day old, sad, alone, and wondering where your life went. As for me, I'm here, I'm today, and I'm happy. And it is my sincere hope that you can say the same.