Three years older than my younger brother, but I must admit, he teaches me more about life than I could possibly teach him. Care-free and easy-going and that "go- with- the-flow-kind-of-guy," my brother is able to see the parts of life I am unable to even think about. Although naive at some points, my brother opens my eyes to new views and my mind to new experiences, so hear are the 5 most valuable lessons I have learned from him!
1. Cherish each second life grants you.
In my fast- paced college life, it is hard to sit back and take a few seconds to enjoy life. I am constantly on the go, from studying to commuting to completing community service hours, it feels as though there is never a moment for just myself. However, my brother has taught me that it is okay to take a breath here and there. Life is not meant to be a non-stop car ride. It may be filled with bumps and potholes, but it is completely acceptable to make a pit stop and smell the roses. Sometimes life grants you the most special of moments in a couple of seconds, so alway always take the chance to treasure them because they may be one in a million.
2.There is always good among the bad.
Hard to believe, but deep down in every tragic and horrific moment, there is something to smile about or something happy to look forward to. In the moment of the bad, everyone is ambushed by negativity, but my brother has always been the person to take the bad moments with a light heart. I have learned from him that all the worrying and panicking and crying is just not worth it. Acceptance of the bad is way more productive in this world that is formed by a conglomerated mix of good and evil.
3. Sometimes you just gotta take an L.
Yes, I said it. Catch that L once in a while. You will not always get what you want in life. You may have a bad day. You may get a bad test grade. You may spill coffee all over your white shirt right before an interview, but guess what, TAKE THE L. No one is perfect and we are all human, so it is only natural that mistakes come and go. Just accept those horrible mornings and regretful nights because at the end of the day, it is about living in the moment and moving on to the next.
4. Laughter is the best medicine.
There is nothing better than a good laugh when you are feeling down. It offers a sense of relief. It clears your mind. It is the cure for anything and everything. Wipe any tears you may have because crying is not the answer, laughing is. Nothing is permanent and the feelings you may have are temporary, laugh it off.
5. It is okay not to give a ****.
Honestly, this is the most valuable lesson I have learned from my brother. Do not put energy into things that you do not care about or are irrelevant to you in general. In this picture, my little brother was only four years old and decided to push another kid off this ride, just so he could take this picture. His excuse? "I don't care." My brother did not care then and now that he is seventeen, he still doesn't care. I guess the message here is that if there is a problem that doesn't involve you, push that problem out of the way and focus on yourself (just like my brother did in this picture by pushing a kid out of his "time to shine").
