As one grows older, ever so slightly, the excitement of having a birthday and ageing another year starts to lose its appeal. Or at least that’s how I have been feeling. Now that it has been twenty-two years since I entered this world, it’s like I have passed all the exciting milestones… I’ve done the Sweet 16th, the end of school 18th and the big 21. Turning twenty-two seems particularly mundane, as if all the fun is in the past. Yet, as I ponder the continual cycle of life, I have come to realize that this is simply not true. Twenty-two is only a fraction of the life we will live, and there is so much to be excited and grateful for.
So after very many rotations around the sun (yet barely any in the greater scheme of things), I have compiled a list of twenty-two small but special things that make life worth living. Things that make the years to come a joyful experience that we can appreciate each day.
- Long and comforting hugs when you need them most
- Hot showers when the winter air is frigid outside
- A few rays of sun peeking through grey clouds on a rainy day
- Your dog greeting you with a wagging tail
- Compliments from strangers
- Laughing so hard it hurts your stomach
- A glass of bubbly with a splash of orange juice
- Watching a comfort show when you’re feeling sad
- Singing at the top of your lungs in the car
- The pretty latte art on top of your coffee
- People telling you they’ve been thinking of you
- Cold early morning air that makes you feel alive
- Sitting in comfortable silence with those you love
- Making someone laugh
- Being excited to wake up in the morning
- Watching people’s faces light up as they talk about their passions
- Meeting someone and instantly clicking
- Becoming fully absorbed in a good book
- Looking in the mirror and feeling nothing but love
- Opening up to someone and feeling truly heard
- Falling into bed after an exhausting day
- The feeling of finally solving a problem that’s been bothering you
These small, seemingly meaningless things are part of what make life so beautiful. Although it is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the modern age, when we can start being grateful for these small things each day, our days become brighter and our minds become clearer. The idea of growing older is no longer scary but exciting, with so much more to appreciate.