2010--A Decade of New Beginnings

With the new year comes new perspective. What's on my mind is how much individuals focus on the material things in life, and forget the timeless value of a memory. Today (or technically yesterday; my day doesn't officially end until I fall asleep) is/was my best friend's birthday--my older sister Rubina. It was a day filled with emotion: anxiety about preparing for the birthday party we hosted, excitement from her coming of age, affection from the feeling of togetherness in celebrating a milestone in her life, and amazement at how much she has matured and grown. The happiness and laughs I shared with family and friends today will stay with me for the rest of my life. If only pictures could offer a flashback into such significant memories. A life as a student is jam-packed with stress coming at you from so many angles, an impossible assortment of vital daily tasks, but today I realized how as humans, we are all just products of hormones and life decisions--the things you choose to prioritize and the emotions that accompany those choices. Nowadays, I feel, society has become so caught up in the materialism of money, technology, and an obsession for a successful life that we forget the things that really matter: living a balanced lifestyle, making time for an education and employment, but also incorporating fitness and health in one's routine, and most importantly, building on the relationships we share with each other. So, with the shocking thought that in the end, it won't matter that I didn't get the grade I wanted in Sociology, or that Chase insists on holding my check for a few days no matter how much I hate it, I decided this year to embrace instead what will matter: to keep in touch with old friends, to make time to value those I love and to never miss an opportunity to tell someone how they have impacted me. Sounds like a spiffy New Year's resolution to me! Life is fragile, and it is precious. That's the way I see it.