As I walked out of the condo in Navarre Beach, commencing the end of my family's annual beach trip, I couldn't help but try and hold back tears. No part of me wanted to leave and return home to the "real world".
This is not the first time nor will it be the last that I cry over the ending of something. Upon the return of my spring break spent in New York, I bawled my eyes out for three days. And there have been many Sundays that consist of telling loved ones goodbye followed by a tearful drive back home. It got to the point where my boyfriend didn't think I could handle doing anything fun because I would just cry once it ended. As pathetic as some people find this, I know I'm not the only one who experiences this type of sadness. It's so easy to ruin a vacation by thinking about it ending and thus going back to work on Monday.
But why do we get so depressed after fun times, vacations, or saying goodbye? Are our lives that miserable that we never want to return to them? For some people, this might be the case. But why can't we look forward to the things we spend the majority of our lives doing, like going to work or school? Why can't these be the things we look forward to and the things we get excited about? I know that is kind of a far-fetched idea but I think that we can at least try and make those things worthwhile and not something we dread, or even cry about, returning to.
The title of this article, "Live A Life You Love", is something I think we should all strive for. I'm guilty of living for the weekend, the next fun event, or vacation. If I just concentrate on the weekend, then I can suck it up and push through the week. But in doing that, I've created a hatred towards the work week. That is so sad considering the work week is literally (and usually figuratively) longer than the weekend. Why are we dreading and going through the motions for five days just to enjoy "freedom" on those two days? The sad part is, I feel like majority of the human population does this. We've been told that in order to be "successful", we have to work all day and save our free time and money for vacation. What we should be doing is living a life we love and look forward to on every day of the week. As much of a cliché as it is, life really is short, and we need to enjoy every day to the fullest.
I realize this article has become more of my brain dumped onto a page than anything else, but if anything, I hope it provides some food for thought. Do something to make every day the best day, whether you're on vacation, hanging out with friends, or at work. Think about it this way: If you are sad after a vacation or when telling someone you love goodbye, then how lucky are you to have experienced it or to them in your life? I'm sure I'll still cry after a fun weekend or trip, but I will also be grateful for the everyday life I've created.
