Every single day life passes us by, and most of the moments in the day go overlooked and underappreciated. The time we live in is fast paced. We live in a full-force sprinted world. Life may seem like a race, but even in a race the competitors are encouraged to take in the beauty they are running in.

The beauty surrounding us as we race through our days should inspire us; it should motivate us. Too often do we forget that life is good, despite the bad circumstances we sometimes find ourselves wrapped up in. We focus too much on the bad, and we don’t even realize when something is good. It seems that good has become mediocre, and the only emotions we as 21st century humans will recognize are the extremes: detrimental depression and euphoric happiness. But good is great and great is fantastic, and life can always - and will always - have some aspect of good in it.

Something does not have to be extraordinary to be beautiful. That’s the thing about the human race: Just being human is amazing. We are all unique individuals and that should make every day special. We have fingerprints that only we can claim. We have the ability to make our mark on the world in a way only we can. Every single person is different, but we are all connected, and that is something we forget.

The way your sister laughs is probably a detail you don’t notice, until of course you hear it on your voicemail when you are away at school and feeling homesick. The way your grandma stocks the kitchen with your favorite dishes when you come to town is something that you’ll want to reciprocate in the future when you have grandchildren. These small acts of everyday simplicity are routines we don’t take note of in the present, but why not?

One day you may not be able to remember the way the house lights up when your siblings come home, or the way your parents hold hands on the back deck as they watch the summer sun set. So, while we are living these moments, we should soak them in.

Every day has so many moments of love and happiness. And even though every day is also peppered with moments of sadness, we need to remember to be present in every situation so we can take advantage of the time.

Life’s currents are rapid. They move quickly and they can shake you off your feet. Every day there are surprises and every day you’ll be faced with new challenges of all sorts. But that’s life and we have to take it all in, because that’s what we’re here for. Let’s get to living.