Life is complex, and there are lessons around each corner. Lessons alone have created an enterprise of “Self-help” books that attempt to teach people how to live right. Some of these are with specific day-to-day actions, but others are less structured, covering a wider range of possibilities. I believe that the broad lessons are the most important, as they are adaptable to many types of people across many generations. The lessons I have chosen are what I feel are the most important things I have learned in my life thus far.
1. Life is beautiful, and we should appreciate the simplicity that it offers.
As I said before, life is complex. This is no surprise, but how do we keep that complexity from taking over? We can do this by remembering the little things. Life is beautiful, and we discover this as infants. At first, we are amazed by things such as our voices and the ability to walk. Later, we view the whole world as our playground. Somewhere along the way it seems that we lose this. I remember at time when I looked at each flower and thought it was the best flower. At a point later on, I realized that it took extravagant flowers to catch my attention. Even in our darkest times, it is important to remember the little things. This can range from flowers to simple moments with the ones you love.
I have had some amazing opportunities in life, such as travelling abroad and acting in High School Plays. However, my favorite memories are the times when my friends and I laughed for ten minutes, or were able to line-dance spontaneously with people from another culture. It wasn’t the planned events that made those amazing opportunities worthwhile; it was the little things that accompanied them. Especially in difficult times, it is important to remember these little things. Each little thing adds up, and can help create great happiness. The most powerful “little thing” that I know is the power of laughter. When unpleasant situations arise, it is easy to get bogged down. However, finding something to laugh at about the situation can make you, and those around you, enjoy the experience much more. Laughter is contagious, yet it is such a simple thing.
2. Being a good friend is invaluable.
Growing up, I was more dedicated to my friends than I was to anything else. I feared losing my friends, and would do whatever it took to please them. In high school I realized this, and started trying to do things for myself instead. It was a rough time- but helped for what was to come in college. I came to OU without any of those friends, but I found I would be making amazing friends in the years to come.
I have experienced some tough times in these past few years, and my friends were always there even when I didn’t ask them to be. My friends have also had tough times, where I was able to help them. I have learned that friendships themselves have rough patches, but that you should not throw the friendship away. Before college, I tried to be the perfect friend by never upsetting others. Now I realize that true friends push each other to be the very best each other can be. Being a good friend means being honest, real, caring, and supportive. Every day I am inspired by my friends to be greater at life, and I aspire to do the same. Being a great friend will bring many rewards to life- new opportunities, help when you need it(and even when you don’t), and something to make you smile. When you act as a great friend you will reap in kind.
3. To be successful in life, sometimes you have to do things that you don’t want to do.
In life, we are given opportunities every day. Opportunities can come in big or little ways, from going to eat with a new friend or applying for a competitive internship. However, some of these opportunities are masked with something difficult. An example of this: In school, we have the opportunity to earn a great education that will stay with us for a lifetime. However, this may require a lot of hard work in the form of essays and reading. Many scholarships and awards are under-utilized because it takes extra work to apply for them. However, humanity would not be where it is today if our ancestors didn’t work hard.
Personally, I love getting to relax and watch a movie on the couch. However, I have to remember that I cannot live life ‘sitting on the couch.’ It is important to realize that there are countless opportunities out there for each person, and we are lucky for it. In my years, I have come to find that I am the only person who can hold me back. We should not take for granted the opportunities life brings us, and remember that a little extra work can go a long way. We can continue to make this world a great place if we never give up. It is important, though, to let yourself have a little time to watch that movie on the couch- just to give yourself a break (a reward for being so great, if you will). So, don’t sit on the sidelines of life because it is easier. It will be a brighter day when you are in the game.
There are thousands of lessons in life. There are lessons about friendship, relationships, family, school, spirituality, and more. It is difficult to say just which ones are the most important. These lessons are crucial to the rest of our lives, and to only have 4 life lessons would leave us empty handed. The lessons we learn effect each phase of our lives in different ways. And so I leave you with this last lesson: Never stop learning lessons. We gain knowledge every day, but we must remember to turn that knowledge into wisdom. My oldest brother always tells my family, “If you lose in life- don’t lose the lesson.” This is the wisest thing that I have ever heard him say, and it has stuck with me for many years. We can continue learning these lessons by reflecting on ourselves frequently. It is easy to get distracted by the hectic schedules of life, but if we take time to reflect and learn lessons continuously we will be wise beyond our years.
This is pretty powerful rooms. I don't know why I'm just now reading it (fail roommate). That's a damn good essay. love you!
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