I’m learning to appreciate the mundane aspects of life. They are what define us. At this University, in this world, we are taught to ignore the little things and focus on the bigger picture. We are goal-oriented. We are determined. We are fastidious. We are also stressed, prone to stress-induced illness, depressed and overworked.

These are mild conditions we accept because this is what our lives are about. We sacrifice our well-being for the end goal. The end goal is different for all of us. For some, it is the initials M and D behind their name that drives them. For others, it is the ability to have their names in history somewhere, whether for art, politics, or just for being good at whatever it is they do. Most of us have lived with the mindset of being the best from that first day of school. However, in this process, we have irrevocably forgotten the most important part about being human: the ability to recognize the miracle of life.

We do not appreciate the absolute brilliance of breathing in fresh air, feeling the skin of the person you love when they touch you, seeing fireflies on a July night. You can see the joy of a child experiencing these things for the first time. To them, these things are magical.

In college, we dissect things down to their essentials and forget the mystery behind these events. We know why fireflies light up and why an emotional response occurs when someone touches us. However, we make the mistake of programming our minds to take for granted these extraordinary occurrences. We should never let knowledge be the very catalyst for closing our minds.

This occurs frequently when a very intelligent person watches a movie, especially a movie based in fact. The person will watch a fictionalized version of a car chase, for example, which results in an explosion. Instead of marveling at the beauty of orange and blue flames erupting from the screen, or the brilliance of modern picture clarity, this intelligent person will become fixated on the fact that there was no catalyst for the explosion.

We should not continue to let our goals and our knowledge cloud the wonderment of life. Enjoy something just for the simple fact that we can. Enjoy your favorite childhood drink. Watch a cheesy action movie. Observe the fireflies in July. Go outside just to feel the wind. And, for the love of God, do not read any deeper into it.

Chelsea is a junior in the School of Art and a Forum Editor. She can be reached via e-mail at [email protected]

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