Here We Are

Yesterday started out as an ordinary day. When my alarm went off at 5:00 A.M., I really wasn't ready to get up (never fret, I did anyway). I exercised, showered, and changed into a maroon Harry Potter hoodie. Suddenly, it was 6:25; my ride to school would be arriving any second! I dashed downstairs, poured heavy cream into my coffee, threw on some shoes, and raced out of the door. Soon, my backpack was loaded in the car, and we began driving toward the carpool meeting place, the local Dunkin' Donuts parking lot. As usual, we chatted idly, happily, our voices the kind of groggy that is to be expected of people who wake up at the crack of dawn. And then suddenly, we were in the middle of an intersection, with airbags activated in the front seats and glass on the asphalt and smoke drifting into the cabin.

We'd had the right of way, but the man driving in the through street either hadn't been paying attention or hadn't seen us. And that is how a perfectly ordinary Wednesday turned into a bit of mess. Luckily, no one was severely injured. I messed up my neck and chest a bit. The driver hurt her back and my friend in the passenger's seat got the wind knocked out of her. There was no blood, which was a huge relief, but everything still ached. It was approximately 35 degrees Fahrenheit, and we shivered with shock and cold while waiting for the police. Eventually, my backpack was scavenged from the backseat, a family friend picked me up, and I arrived home.

What was my thought process throughout this ordeal? I was thinking about the fact that there are three collisions when cars crash (car to car, body to car, organs to body) and inertia. I know. I'm weird. But as the rush of adrenaline began to wear off, new ideas emerged. For one, my new personal mantra is 'thank goodness for seat belts.' From here on out, I will have only good things to say about Nils Bohlin, who invented the three-point seat belt while working as an engineer for Volvo. I also, however, began to consider how lucky I was. How lucky we all were. Had the two people in the front seat been wearing their glasses, they may have suffered extreme damage due to the airbags; however, neither one was. Had my headrest not been adjusted, my whiplash would've been far worse. But above all else, we were alive.

Incidents like these provide us with a truly incredibly perspective of the world around us. We are exposed to the harsh idea that, most unfortunately, life is not linear. One can go from the top of the world to rock bottom in a matter of moments, the victim of circumstances, their own actions, or the actions of others. In a split second, your entire life can be thrown off-course. A scary thought, isn't it?

When I arrived home, still shaking, still numb, I immediately pulled out a sheet of paper and began writing (as one does when they have been through a frightening incident). I picked up a pen. And I started to list everything that I am grateful for in my life. My list included everything from the simple stuff - breathing and talking and smiling - to my friends, my family, my dogs, adventure. I furiously scribbled Harry Potter, Doctor Who, learning, working toward equality, Movies, blogging, pistachios, salmon, water, a bed, clothes, cinnamon gum, trees, my Lucky Bamboo plant - everything. Big or small, crucial or a luxury, I sat there and jotted down everything I could think of that I'm grateful for. And after an hour of doing this, I could've gone on.

Sometimes, life is stressful. We become all consumed by the algebra test looming ahead, or about completing AP note cards. We worry about who likes us, who our friends are, and who thinks we are as worthless as gum plastered to the city sidewalks. As humans, we are forward-thinking creatures. We dwell on the past only to discover how it will affect the remainder of our lives. We practically live in the future, allowing what-if's and whys to swallow us whole. But very rarely do we take a deep breath merely to feel the rise and fall of our chests. We don't typically eat a meal slowly, savoring every bite, present in the moment. And when is the last time you told someone dear that they are important to you? How long has it been since you walked outside, felt the breeze braiding your hair and watched as the leaves patter to the ground? Do you sleep, or do you stay up late, anxious about what tomorrow will bring? And, permit me to ask - how do you cope with all of these negative and tension-driven emotions? Perhaps you don't eat as much as you should, or you eat too much. Maybe you've gone down the rabbit hole, and have turned to reckless behaviors to calm yourself. Do you harm your body? Do you look in the mirror and think that you are ugly, or unworthy?

I understand. When things turn chaotic, so do we. We do our best to make sense of the world, and occasionally do so in a manner that is not good for our physical, emotional, or mental well being. We walk through life in a daze, and then suddenly, something unexpected happens. Something terrible happens. And we are left wondering why we didn't choose to live life with an attitude of joy, compassion, and wonder. The truth, my dear friends, is that while we spend time fretting about the lows of life, we forget to grasp how incredible it is that we are here. That we are alive, that there is air rushing in and out of our lungs, that at this very moment someone cares about us. We lose sight of the beauty of life as it is swallowed by the harsh realities of politics, hatred, and societal pressures. Everything worth living for is so easily cast into the shadows.

So here is my challenge to you, dear reader. Take five minutes each day, just five minutes, to sit in silence. Just breathe, or perhaps create a list of the things you are grateful for. Allow yourself to truly feel each and every emotion that is running wild in your heart and mind. Experience the intensity of being alive. Because you're only here for so long. Cry, my friends. Scream and shout and smile and laugh and frown and sigh and just be alive. Be grateful for everything and everyone around you, because you never know what will happen. Know how wonderful it is that we are here.

Have an excellent Friday tomorrow, everyone!
- Maya

Photo by Denys Nevozhai on Unsplash, Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash,
Photo by William Stitt on Unsplash, Photo by Willian Justen de Vasconcellos on Unsplash,
Photo by Tiago Fioreze on Unsplash, Photo by Maya