Make It last
Do you ever get the feeling of nostalgia for a moment or a period of time that you’re currently living in? There’s something truly special about getting that sensation that you’re going to miss a moment when you’re living in it.
This past month has been filled with so many incredible memories that have been shared with some of my favorite people in the world. People that I met just months ago that I’ve grown to know and be close with even if we come from different places, share different interests, and don’t even talk that much.
But, as more moments are shared with these people, you realize that it’s not always about talking all of the time, or asking each other questions about one another, but it’s more so about sharing moments and memories with people enough to recognize how they interact with life.
Just about a week ago, I was sitting outside, looking out at the lake, surrounded by a dozen people that I met just a few months ago, celebrating one of our friends’ birthdays. We shared laughs, memories, dances, and gifts, and it felt like we had built our own family in a sense. We all knew so much about each other just by being around each other relentlessly for months on end, sometimes without even getting super personal or deep.
That’s why it’s bittersweet having to end a year of college, especially your freshman year. You grow so close to completely new people after being familiar with other people your whole life, and you’re expected to just sort of walk away for a bit of time without any feelings attached. Truth is, those are your best friends; if it stings a little bit to walk away from people, even if it’s just for a few months, then that’s how you know that you’re in the right place.
I always thought the phrase “absence makes the heart grow fonder” was just a cliche, to be completely honest. But, the past couple of months, I’ve recognized that it’s not cliche at all. Whether it be my parents or brother that I’ve been away from for awhile, my hometown friends, my dog, or a broken relationship, I’ve realized that absence does, in fact, make the heart grow fonder.
It’s not because grief outweighs love, but instead, it’s because memories outweigh everything.
Really, though, who are we without memories? Our greatest memories, why they’re important to us, how they played out, and where they took place are literally the building blocks of our identity. The significance of all of those memories gives insight into who we are and our past, the voids in our hearts that have yet to be filled, or were filled by the memories we value.
It could be a car ride with your dad, a concert with your mom, a lake house weekend with your friends, a round of golf with your hometown buddy, watching one of someone special’s favorite movies with them laying on your chest, planting flowers with your grandpa, or exchanging Christmas gifts with someone special.
Those are all some of the greatest moments of my life. Moments that I grieve, moments that I adore, moments that I think about, moments that I try to relive, and moments that I love.
We will always try and relive these moments, but in reality we are unable to make them last.
But, isn’t that the beauty of it?
