How easy it is to forget about the little things in life. The days roll on and we lose sight of all of the little wonderful simplicities that life has to offer. We are all guilty of taking advantage of our world’s resources. As a college student, it is easy to get wrapped up in the little bubble that has become my life. I forget that not everyone can get food with a swipe of a card, that some people do not have the luxury of linens, and that many people have worked extremely hard to have the life that they have now.
College students are not the only ones who get lost inside of a bubble. Society can get so wrapped up in worrying about the economy. It seems that today you cannot turn on the news without hearing about a recession, a stimulus package, tax cuts, and social security payments. The stock market looking less than pleasing and more and more layoffs are affecting undeserving people, including my family. In fact, my father was laid off from his job and my mother’s job stability is still in question. With two kids in college, this became a less than ideal situation. But luckily, my family knew the importance of appreciating the little things in life. After all, they were immigrants to this country that left a simpler life behind. Their belief in appreciating the little things in life is why I believe in appreciating the little things in life.
They say that the best things in life are free. You cannot pay for real friendship, or the joy you get in holding a lover’s hand. You cannot pay for the warmth of a smile from your new baby sister and nothing can replace a hand-written note from a close relative. We all know that the best part of a birthday gift is the message written in the card. When we look back on our lives, we do not remember the times we spent money or gained money. We remember Sunday afternoons when we learned how to ride a bike. We have photographs of family moments, not of the day we got a promotion and hit six figures.
In the midst of all the panic, do not forget to enjoy the little things. No amount of money can make them happen and no amount of money can take them away. I will never forget that my parent’s ambition is much more important than the money that my parents made with that ambition. The economy will eventually bounce back in its typical, cyclical way, as it usually does. But do not let any amount of money or lack of money overshadow the beautiful complexities and moments that life has to offer, because money is something you can get back, but those little things can pass you by.