Little Things That Aren't Little (by Sevinch Ashirova)

Asking how someone’s day was when they know the sidewalk rule specific compliments, a smile from a stranger, asking you questions when you’re talking, nicknames, being in the sun, walking in a group and someone waiting for you to catch up, facetiming till 1am, ”checking in on you”, being comfortable in silence with each other.

Sometimes I don’t realize how blessed l am. I forget how I used to pray for everything I have now and even more. 10 years ago I would tell myself I’m excited for the future because I wanted to see who I’ve become and here I am. Everything I prayed to be, and even better.

Don’t waste a single moment worrying about things you can’t change or dwelling on past mistakes. Instead, focus on making the present moment count and work towards creating a brighter future. Remember, time waits for no one, so make every second count towards reaching your goals and living a fulfilling life. The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.

I don’t fantasize about having the perfect life. I just think about waking up somewhere safe. I think about having a pretty kitchen and a nice green armchair. Books on shelves. Coffee always brewing. I could be happy with something simple and quiet.

You may believe that living life to the fullest is seeing every country in the world and quitting your job on a whim and falling recklessly in love, but it’s really just knowing how to be where your feet are. It’s learning how to take care of yourself, how to make a home within your own skin. It’s learning how to build a simple life you are proud of. A life most fully lived is not always composed of the things that rock you awake, but those that slowly assure you it’s okay to slow down. That you don’t always have to prove yourself. That you don’t need to fight forever, or constantly want more. That it’s okay for things to be just as they are. Little by little, you will begin to see that life can only grow outward in proportion to how stable it is inward-that if the joy is not in the little things first, the big things won’t fully find us.

The best way to know life is to love many things.