Life is about getting ice cream with friends on a sunny, spring evening. Now, let me explain. It’s so easy to focus on all the negative elements and stress within our lives. Doing so can cause us to close ourselves off and isolate ourselves from those we love.
When my friend turned to me at dinner and said, “Do you guys want to go get ice cream after this?” My mind immediately thought of the homework I had waiting for me back in my room, but I thought, “It can wait.” When else would I have an opportunity to walk in the sunshine and laugh and talk with this same exact group of people? Why would I go back to my room to do work I would most likely put off anyways instead of enjoying the opportunity I was presented with?
Going out for ice cream is such a simple concept, but it’s usually the most simple ideas that end up being the most fun.
Too often we miss out on the beauty right in front of us because we are focused on trivial matters. Obviously, my homework is important and needs to be completed, but I need to learn to take part in the small pleasures of everyday life. Stop making excuses for why you cannot enjoy yourself. The phrase, “You only have one life,” is constantly overused, but it is so important to remember.
I get that life and deadlines and work can catch up to you and you can easily say, "I don't feel like it." Sometimes, though, the best moments come at the end of a long day when the sun is just setting and you have a sweet, cold treat in your hand. If you have the chance to walk in the sunshine and laugh your heart out over some ice cream, do it.