Why The Heart Is More Than Just An Organ

So, we all know the heart as the very important and vital organ that we can't live without. Our hearts pump blood into our bodies, and it's a critical component of keeping us alive (to say the least). There's a bunch of other medical stuff I could probably talk about, but I'm just going to leave that to Cristina Yang. As many of you may know, Cristina Yang from "Grey's Anatomy" is an extraordinary cardio God. She knows the heart inside and out, and she craves the ability to hold and repair the heart (even when it feels like she doesn't have one)

For people who don't quite understand the heart the way she does, this is the way I view the heart, and it's why I believe it's more than just an organ. The way I see it, our hearts are the center of our being. Now I'm not trying to pull a Ptolemy; I know the heart isn't actually at the center of our bodies. Ptolemy, the Greek astronomer, was one of many who believed the Earth was the center of the solar system. I, for one, know the heart isn't actually at the center, but a lot of the times it feels like it is. Everything we do, say and think radiates out of it.

Think about the last decision you had to make. I mean that last really big decision. Not choosing between taking a nap or reading a book, but maybe the decision you made about what college to attend. Maybe the decision about your college major, transferring universities or, in my case, attending summer school. Big life decisions. You obviously thought through these choices very heavily, and you thought about the pros and cons. You probably also managed to use all aspects of your brain to come to a conclusion. You do the best you can, and you invest time in making an important decision, but if your heart isn't invested in it, then don't even bother.

If your heart isn't invested in that school your brain is telling you to go to, then do not go. If your brain is telling you that you need to major in clay sculpting, but your heart just isn't in it — you don't feel that passion in your bones — then don't waste your time. You should feel a rush every time you talk about your school or your major. Or anything that you invest yourself in. It should shake you to your core. It should make you feel joy just by speaking about it — whatever it is, a hobby, people or a place, your heart should be in it.

I am not saying don't be logical or to not use your brain ever, but chances are you've been making a lot of decisions lately based off of what your brain is telling you rather than your heart. Let your heart speak. Let it make choices for you, even if they feel reckless and naive. Let me just tell you something right now that you probably already know: life is too short. It's that simple; life is too short to spend it doing things we don't love with all our entirety.

Your heart is more than just an organ. It supplies us with more than just blood. It supplies us with passion, courage, drive and love. I want you to put your hand over your heart right now. You can feel your heart beat, but you can't feel all the things it's doing in your life. You just have to have faith that it's doing more than it's getting credit for.

I am a very corny person. I mean, if you know me, you know that I spend a lot of time just being overly mushy, and I'd like to give my heart a round of applause for that. I love love. I love people. I love God. I love you. I love this world. And I would like to believe that we aren't speaking anatomically or scientifically. I mean just speaking from faith. Speaking from hope and from believing in something bigger than myself, we get a lot of who we are from our heart. I believe the Lord lives in our hearts, and it makes us who we are.

Put your heart into everything you do. Put your brain in it too, but pour your heart into it even more. Let all things flow from it. One of my best friends has a tattoo on her ribs that reads, "Above all else, guard your heart, for all you do flows from it." Proverbs 4:23.

Our heart works as the center for our ideas, dreams, goals and everything in between. When you say something, say it with compassion, and let your heart be a part of every word you say. Let your heart trail along every task you do and everything you believe in. When you do something — whether it's a sport, making a decision or simply living, put your entire heart and soul into it. Think with your heart. I know you're told not to. I know you want to be logical and constantly on top of things. You want to predict how things turn out, but I have news for you — life is a constant guessing game; we'll never really know what's next. You can plan for forever, but we aren't even guaranteed a tomorrow.

So do what you love. Tell the people you love that you love them. Invest in things that your heart craves. Stop for a second. Breathe. Let your heart make your next decision. Be foolish. Make mistakes. Make the wrong decision for the right reason. If your heart is telling you something — if it's a constant battle between using your brain or your heart — in the long run, you'll get the most if you take the path your heart is telling you.

Be kind. Be full of heart. Be the person that you want to be. What are you waiting for? Be the person that everyone is envious of because of how happy you are. Life is so unnecessarily serious and, disclaimer, we all die anyways. So, if you're looking for a sign about making that choice that your heart is yelling at you to make — then this is it. Do it. Now go out and look at life the way Cristina Yang looks at this holographic heart — with curiosity, soul and passion.