I don't know why exactly, but we often underestimate the effortless happiness of just being alive. I, writing this, am alive. You, reading this, are alive. You are breathing. Your heart is beating, and it's pumping blood all over your body, from one end to the other. You are alive and you probably don't even care. In fact, you're probably wondering what it is about life that's supposed to make it so worthwhile. Or maybe you just had a bad day, or a couple of bad days, and you're thinking that life, and every little thing in it, is out to get you.
And that's where you'd be wrong. Because the fact that you're alive right now could be the best thing to happen to you today. (It probably is.) Because, this morning, there were people out there who thought they had a tonight, and they don't. And tonight, there are people out there who think they have a tomorrow, and they don't. It's unreal, I know, but they won't be here to see the sun climb from behind the mountains, or to experience its very first rays penetrate their skin. They won't be here at night to look up at the constellations in the sky and feel ridiculously negligible and small while doing so. They won't be here to listen, on repeat, to their favourite all time band, or watch, for the tenth time, the soppiest movie to ever be created by mankind. They won't be here for that adrenaline rush that accompanies travelling, or that warm, fuzzy feeling of waking up to a breakfast in bed. They won't be here to smell the first September rain, or the sea spray as it collides with the pebbles on the sand. They won't be here to kiss that boy or that girl they've had a crush on for the past year. They won't be here to cook dinner, light a candle, read a book, run a marathon, or say "I'm sorry", "I love you".
They won't be here. But you will be. Because you are alive. You may have forgotten, but you are. You are alive. You are breathing. Your heart is beating. Listen to it. Feel it. Do you feel it? Yes? Good. Now go out there and do something about it.
And that's where you'd be wrong. Because the fact that you're alive right now could be the best thing to happen to you today. (It probably is.) Because, this morning, there were people out there who thought they had a tonight, and they don't. And tonight, there are people out there who think they have a tomorrow, and they don't. It's unreal, I know, but they won't be here to see the sun climb from behind the mountains, or to experience its very first rays penetrate their skin. They won't be here at night to look up at the constellations in the sky and feel ridiculously negligible and small while doing so. They won't be here to listen, on repeat, to their favourite all time band, or watch, for the tenth time, the soppiest movie to ever be created by mankind. They won't be here for that adrenaline rush that accompanies travelling, or that warm, fuzzy feeling of waking up to a breakfast in bed. They won't be here to smell the first September rain, or the sea spray as it collides with the pebbles on the sand. They won't be here to kiss that boy or that girl they've had a crush on for the past year. They won't be here to cook dinner, light a candle, read a book, run a marathon, or say "I'm sorry", "I love you".
They won't be here. But you will be. Because you are alive. You may have forgotten, but you are. You are alive. You are breathing. Your heart is beating. Listen to it. Feel it. Do you feel it? Yes? Good. Now go out there and do something about it.
Please.