I Lived

Ever feel like the shuffle feature in iTunes is some sort of a musical god that can somehow predict your mood swings and empathize with your feelings? Time and time again, I absent-mindedly flip my iPod to "shuffle all songs" and drown myself in whatever it comes up with. And I've noticed a phenomenon; within three songs, usually a song plays that somehow resonates with how I feel that very moment.

This happens to me quite frequently, and today was no exception. Lately I've been thinking a lot about life decisions. Well, this morning I popped my headphones on before rolling out of bed (on "shuffle"), and the second song that played was off of OneRepublic's new album, Native. Perhaps you've heard it before... it's called "I Lived".

The chorus is as follows...

"I did it all. I owned every second that this world could give.
I saw so many places, the things that I did.
Yeah with every broken bone, I swear I lived..."

This song resonates with so many feels within my soul. It causes emotions to rise; it provokes thought; and it reawakens a yearning within me to experience life at its fullest. Disney was a huge experience for me; I can't remember a moment when I wasn't experiencing something new or discovering new things. Every day was an adventure.

Upon moving back to the Midwest, life has gone stagnant (or so it would seem). Yes, I still have moments of joy with my family, and I will always cherish these times. But as a whole, life has slowed down a bit in contrast to my fast-paced, schedule-packing life in Florida. But here is my thoughts in a nutshell: Fast or slow, never fail to cherish each moment in life.

Don't get so caught up in the "big picture" that you fail to live for today. It is wise to live for a better tomorrow, of course; but do not forget to experience the world around you right now, no matter where you are. Life is way too short to take it slow; as soon as moments arrive,  they are gone. Map out some dreams you wish to achieve and work towards them. But today, in this moment, do wonderful things. Create. Dance. Live. Once you get to where you want to be a month, a year, or ten years down the road, you will look back on your life; and you'll be glad that you lived each moment and appreciated the time you were blessed with. Reach out to others and don't fail to seize the moments you have before they pass and are lost forever. And "with every broken bone", don't be discouraged. You will be stronger for the hard times.

Go places. Do things. Cherish people around you.

But whatever you do, make sure you live life to the fullest.


**fin**

- Knolster