July 20. 8:10 pm

A Story by Anna

Living. It’s a simple concept, isn’t it? Put into its most simple terms, living is the defined as “being alive”. But instead of the word being used as an adjective, what if we used it as a verb? What if there was much more to life, and to living, than merely being alive?

Well, there’s some good news. There is more to this life than being alive. Unfortunately, for every rose there’s a thorn. With that being said, there is also some bad news. That isn’t really the question, or the answer, that you should be concerned about. The real question is: is there more to your life than being alive? And perhaps it’s a little harder to answer. The opinions may not be so black and white, and the perspectives may not be so cut and dry. This question is confrontational. It requires you to look at your routine, your relationships, experiences, goals, and aspirations. It forces you to assess the change that you are making in the world. Don’t be fooled, because in no way is that an easy task. It entails the use of effort, concentration, and a realistic mindset. So then, how do you evaluate your level of “being alive” in a figurative sense? How do you measure something like that? Well, there is no scale.

To be honest, you’ve just kinda got to self-assess. Realistically observe your lifestyle. Are you looking forward to anything? Can you get an adrenaline high by doing something risky or thrilling? Do you have people that you love, and that love you back, in your life? I really hope so. This life is incredible. It is full of surprises, precious moments, and tragedy. It is full of laughter, anger, and tears. Life is full. But once again, that’s not really what matters. What matters, is if YOUR life is full. If it is, then keep going. Keep living your life full of dreams, nightmares, success, failures, good, and bad. It is absolutely, 100% worth it. Even in the deepest depths, living this life, your life, is the greatest gift. I sincerely hope that there is not a single day you ever experience where you wake up and don’t believe that. Keep hoping, keep dreaming, and keep reaching.