I am naive & trusting & I fall hard & love harder. I'm just wise enough to learn a lesson from my mistakes once, but even still, I will likely have to learn it all again. When I stop to think of the things this world has taught me, outside of textbooks & classrooms, I really only know a few things for certain. I mean really know, engraved in my heart, kind of know.
Mostly, I know that happiness comes from living life itself.
It sounds almost too simple to even have to say.
Happiness comes from living,
not plans or routines.
So when asked about who I might become,
all I know is that
one day at a time,
I want to collect a vast knowledge of my favorite topics, but not so much that I lose all curiosity.
I want to happen upon a sunflower field on a road trip, so I can stop & steal a bundle of sunshine for the journey.
I want to marry someone who will bring me white daisies on Wednesday's just because, & who'll split oranges with me for the rest of forever... someone who makes my knees weak & cheeks hurt from laughing so much. My best friend.
I want to drink my weight in strawberry lemonade
& wear a sundress everyday that the weather permits.
On the days when I just can't be bothered,
I'll slip on those old chucks & my favorite pair of worn in blue jeans
& smile my best smile.
"Beauty is a mindset", I'll tell myself. Be happy.
I want to wear my hair in a salty braid after a day in the ocean.
I want to help people smile.I want to ride with the windows down & read books about the good things in life until the sun sets in my frosty window.
I want to have freckles on my cheeks every July &
celebrate the weak tan lines on my shoulders.
I want to wake up to the first snowfall in the middle of 3 & 5 am.
I'll pray often, because I know He wants to know how my days are going.
I hope that I'll be making the little girl I once was proud.
I'll eat lot's of fruit
& always keep a little extra cash in my boot for the room with a view.
When asked about my dreams, I tell them I dream about happiness. The happiness I have right now, and the same happiness I'll have tomorrow. Because I know happiness doesn't come from those firework moments that come around only a few times in your life. It's in the midday sunspots on your hardwood floors & Tuesday lunch dates with your best friend.
It's about collecting experiences like fireflies in a jar.
I hope that I'll never forget that's it's a remarkably exciting thing just to keep living. to feel & see & learn & to find adventure.
& if ever I'm asked how I keep my smile,
I hope I'll think back to when I was 17
Just learning about the world around me,
and say,
Fall in love with every step you take.
With the breaths you're granted, and the dreams you haven't yet grasped.
With life.
That's the key to joy, my friend.
To fall in love with the sun when it shines
& when the rain pours, dance with it.
People are always asking me what I plan on doing with my life,
as if it's not a big deal, merely small talk.
Which I suppose is very fitting,
because all I ever want to say back is very simple
I plan
on being
happy.
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