As you all loved her last guest post, I kindly asked Jennie Leighton if she would mind me spreading her intellectual words on my blog again! The author of Bitches, Bitches, Bitches has written yet another moving piece on University and enjoying the life you live.
"'Leaning his back against the bench, Hector began to relax. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine he was somewhere else. Anywhere but here, honestly. And when that failed, he opened his eyes and decided to just enjoy the view from where he sat currently. For now, he enjoyed it.'
I came across this quote while once again browsing the archives of tumblr. It struck a chord. I'm not sure who originally wrote it, but I'd like to give them a hand shake because it got me thinking, and thinking is a good thing. I also know that it's a sentiment that would benefit us all to remember.
All too often we forget to be still and just appreciate where we are, and what we have, right now. Not what we had last week, or what we want to have next week, but what we have now. What's in front of us now. Where we are now. Who's with us now.
I gave in my final assignments for my degree on Monday 12th May 2014. Two days ago. Already the pressure is on to move on to the next stages of my life. Find a career, a place, a life, of my own. My university life is officially over. It's gone and it's not coming back. And while this fills me, and I'm sure many others too, with excitement at what is to come, the bittersweet taste creeps in with a simultaneous pang of sadness. This sadness covers many small things, that I know will be brushed under the carpet of 'nostalgia', put in the box of 'times gone by'. But part of my sadness is because, with the knowledge of it being 'gone', I come to realise that I didn't appreciate every moment of it fully. I know this is normal, and that lessens the sadness considerably, but still, it is there.
The age old dichotomy of 'the journey vs the destination'. The constant battle of knowing you should enjoy what you have, while concurrently feeling the need for 'more'. At every phase of life it seems we begin daydreaming about the next. When we are children, we will life as a teenager to come sooner. When the label of 'teenager' encompasses us, we can't wait to be adults. While at school, we are eager to begin university. And while at university we can't wait to graduate, all the time under the impression that our degree is currency for the 'next stage'. I can't help but wonder how long it will take for us to will for the next phase - marriage and children - upon having reached the 'career' stage. 3 years of my life has flown by in an instant. A blurred reality. I wish I'd known how quickly it would be over. The umpteen 'appreciate it because it will be over soon' comments, still didn't prepare me for just how soon that would really happen.
It seems there is a continuous desire to move on to the next chapter. We wade through the seeming monotony of everyday life, to somehow reach this 'next chapter'. We view the days as mundane and boring, while constantly fantasising about some golden future that we haven't yet reached. Rather than enjoying and appreciating what we have, for what it is, while we have it, we spend our time musing about something that hasn't even happened yet.
Don't confuse what I'm saying here for mere acceptance of something, when you could have something 'better'. Being driven, being hard working, and striving for more from your life, are all important for feeling fulfilled. But not as important as truly appreciating the garden that's already around you, while waiting for the new seeds to bloom. If you're constantly living in the future how is it possible to be in the present? If you're always waiting for something that hasn't happened yet, how is it possible to enjoy what you're doing now? While putting some unbeknown future on a pedestal, you are loosing the significance of now. While worrying about what could happen, what is happening is being squandered.
We wonder why we can feel unhappy? I think the answer is startlingly clear.
It all sounds so cliché. Don't dismiss the clichés. They're important.
Concentrate on what you do have and you'll end up having more. Concentrate on what you don't have, and you'll realise you'll never ever have enough. Dwell on the beauty of life. Take in everything. Don't dismiss the warmth of a hand hold. Don't dismiss the importance of laughter. Don't dismiss the feel of sunshine on your skin. Don't dismiss the smell of flowers. Appreciate learning. Appreciate friends. Appreciate family. Appreciate everything, as you have it. Don't dismiss anything. There is always something to appreciate, something to marvel at, something to be grateful for. Take the time to breathe and take things in as they're happening. Forget yesterday as it has already forgotten you, and don't worry about the tomorrow's that you haven't encountered yet. Just take in the today's that you have. And as the quote that started this post so rightly said: open your eyes and enjoy the view from where you're currently sat. Make a conscious effort to do so.
Enjoy it because it's happening."
Written by Jennie Rose Leighton, blogger at jennieinabox
I hope you all enjoyed this insightful piece of writing as much as I did! Its a message I feel is applicable to everything in life, no matter how big or small, young or old, successful or not. Be happy in what we do and what we have, because you only have one life - live it well.
O x
