Dear New Year,
Looking back on 2015, I’m sure we can all say we had our highs and lows. That’s part of life, isn’t it? A year is defined as the time taken by a planet to make one revolution around the sun. However, I would like to argue that a year is much more than that. Those 365 days are the hours and minutes that we experience every day. The hugs from our moms, the hours we spend studying for tests, the Sunday football games, the sunrises and sunsets we drive to the beach to watch. Our daily routines, the coffee runs, the “Hellos” and “Goodbyes” and the “See you soons!” Even though we may not realize it, life is passing by faster than we’d ever thought possible. I am well on my way to finishing my sophomore year of college and it’s hard to believe that only two years ago I graduated from high school and left for college. As I look back on all the memories I have created this year, it takes my breath away just how quickly a year can go by.
Before I know it, I’ll be 21 and graduating from college. Imagining that now, it seems incredulous that not so far away that day will be upon me. Still I know that when it does, it will seem like the years just slipped through my fingers like water. How many times do we look back on baby pictures, on our memories on Facebook, view our Timehops and think ‘Wow, that seems like just yesterday!’? As 2015 comes to a close, I ask us all not to reflect on the bad times, the fights with friends, the daily frustrations, or the failing grade on that test. Instead, we should be aware of how fast time can pass when you forget to focus on the beautiful days passing by.
Although it sounds corny, make sure you do stop to smell the roses because they are only there for a short while. It seems as if you blink and they’re gone. In the New Year, call your parents more and forgive more easily. Try and let the little things go because in the main scheme of things, do they really matter? Instead of making your New Year’s resolution that your going to go to the gym everyday, which you know will not happen, aim to just appreciate everything you have just a little bit more. Be thankful for your family, your friends and all the love you have in your life. Try and be the person you knew you’d want to be. Don’t be afraid to try that new food you’ve never liked and go on a long drive to a place you’ve never been.
When things are tough and it’s almost impossible to smile, look hard for the silver lining because I promise, it’s there. Everyday is a wonderful gift that we should fully enjoy. Whether you just want to lay in bed and watch Netflix or jump in the car and drive for miles, make sure you immerse yourself in every moment. Those 24 hours will turn into 365 days before you know it.
