Life itself is defined by constant change. We’re all born at point A, whether we come from different circumstances or embark on different journeys. But we all go through life’s motions day by day, moving toward point B, in search of the small moments in between. The paradox of these moments is that they’re always fleeting. Some conversations and connections feel so right in the moment that it’s hard to let ourselves walk away. But the truth is, these moments are uniquely precarious: We experience them once, and only once. In my opinion, that is so incredibly beautiful. To share a moment with someone special, a conversation with a friend, a laugh with your mother or a cry with your brother.
Spring is the embodiment of change, represented by little reminders that the season is transitional, yet I often ignore what spring has to say. Spring speaks to us through seasonal symbols, but we rarely listen. The first flower blooms through snowy terrain. The sun’s warmth surprises us as it hits our backs on a windy Boston afternoon. Birds greet the morning with their songs. The breeze smells just a bit fresher. Together, these symbols are reflections of constant change, a truth of life we often struggle to accept.
On our first warm(ish) day of the season this spring, my fellow Northeastern University students and I all scattered across the quads. YikYak was flooded with posts about how a single sunny day had suddenly lifted everybody’s spirits, but that perspective missed the bigger point — no one could quite pin down why that was. Joy doesn’t manifest itself in one burst of sunshine. That particular April afternoon, laughter filled the air, but it soon disappeared as clouds drifted across the sun. I paused for a moment and let the warm wind pass through my hair. In doing so, I realized how often I mindlessly rush past these small wins. We overlook beauty simply because not every day can be perfect.
That is one of the lessons that spring teaches us so well. Life is made up of small moments, and each one’s beauty lies in the fact that they are fleeting. The warmth fades. The sun shifts. The breeze passes. A conversation ends. A person leaves. A season changes. These moments are uniquely fragile, experienced only once in the form we encounter them. But instead of mourning them, it’s important to realize that their fragility is what makes them meaningful. Their temporary nature is precisely why they matter so much to us.
These slow, subtle changes from one season to the next remind us to slow down, and maybe even practice a bit more gratitude. As college students, it is so easy to overlook the small gifts life offers us. Maybe we are too worried about losing sight of the big picture. Maybe we are too focused on securing our dream co-op. Or maybe we are just too busy scrolling on our phones, hoping to find whatever it is we think we are searching for. Amid all that noise, we forget that life is unfolding in quieter ways all around us.
So, I say we focus on the little things more. Let a stranger’s smile make you feel warm. Pause to feel the sun on your face or the breeze through your hair. Appreciate the conversation that made you laugh harder than you expected. Hold onto the moments that make life feel soft, full and human. Embrace the subtle shifts of the season, allowing your personal winter to melt into spring. Not every day, or even every moment, needs to be perfect in order to be beautiful. Spring is already speaking. Life is, too. We just need to slow down long enough to listen.