Life is good. I don’t know if I express that enough, but I want to state this emphatically: life is good.
Don’t get me wrong. Life is hard. Sometimes pain throws your hope to the ground. One of my friends just had his heart broken a few weeks ago. At times like that, it’s easy to think that things will never be good again, and that all innocence in life is lost. It was this very same pining and sense of loss that led Paul Simon to pen, “Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.” He was longing for a time when things were simple and beautiful, and he turned to his father’s baseball icon, a man that had retired 16 years earlier. There have been many times that I’ve found myself yearning for the peace and serenity of the past. It is so easy to live in the past and plot out the perfect way things should have happened. But dealing with pain in the present is the only way to look forward to a bright future.
We all experience pain. Nobody escapes its path. But that is not what brings us together. What brings us together as one is our goal: everyone is just looking for love. Love heals all wounds. Love gives us hope. Love turns the whole thing around. It is impossible to experience love without feeling that there is a purpose to this life. No it won’t all go the way it should, but I know the heart of life is good.
At times, this must be our mantra. If you say it enough, it becomes impossible to forget. Life is good. What about those times when you think you can’t go on? Especially then. Say it. Chant it. Believe it. These are the times when we need to be the strongest, because believe me; bad news never had good timing.
It’s important to have great friends. I can’t imagine going through life without close friends to share it with. It would all be so meaningless. I love my friends. They’ve been with me through the best and worst times of my life, and that is what matters. Great friends foster hope, and help us remember everything that we love about life. Even if everything else is crashing down, the circle of your friends will defend the silver lining. They help us see the good that is there, but possibly hiding at the moment.
I’m terrified of the future. I don’t know what it holds. But life is good, and that keeps me going. After all, fear is a friend who’s misunderstood. It’s a wonderful motivator. I’ve never prepared harder than the times that I was the most afraid to fail. I’ve never worked harder than those moments when I knew there was someone that I couldn’t let down. You just can’t let the fear overcome you. Trust that things will work out, and then work to make sure they do. Believe in people. Don’t be afraid of the unknown.
And know that the heart of life is good.
2023 :: week 49
4 months ago
8 comments:
This was refreshing to read. Thank you for being such a champion friend when I haven't been lately. I remember you telling me this some time awhile back and it stuck with me, that our friends mean a lot and that's really what's most important, and that if you could you'd probably ditch a lot of other things to hang out with them. That shows that you're loyal and know what really matters in life; a little tidbit I forget about often, then drown in worry and to-do lists.
Sometimes I'll think that if I'm ever the groom in a wedding, I'd have so many good, close friends to choose from to be my best man. That's how lucky I've been. I'll have to pull a Catherine heigl in 27 Dresses (which I didn't watch with my parents two months ago) and have 20 guys lined up next to me instead of maids' of honor. You'd be close to the front.
Also, were you quoting from songs in your blog?
dare-bear-stare. this is what i have been waiting for!!! and you do it so well. i am in love with love-no matter the kind of love it is-and you describe the love of friendship perfectly. Thank you for brightening my day.
ps. do you think ben would let me be one of his groomsmen?
darren! why did you write this? Did I say something? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry if I did. I didn't mean to be a jerk friend.
Some people can't help being terrible, and you are one of those people, collin. But I still love you.
i am de acuerdo buddy. i also think sodie is the heart of life.
Another quality post. It's also nice to see people practice what thy preach. I know you have no money to spare and yet you are flying across the country to support me and witness a special occasion. I would have totally understood if you couldn't come. To you though, it doesn't matter what road blocks stand in your way. You don't want to miss it so you made it happen. Now that's a quality friend. I'm glad to hear that you still believe in the silver lining in life. It's so easy to imagine it tarnished and scratched after colossal heart ache. It's still there, though, and I'm happy to hear that it is once again shining. Maybe shining isn't the right word... Anyway, I like to think that I had a part in defending that silver lining for you once upon a time and it makes me glad to think I helped you out a little. And if I didn't, please leave me in happy ignorance :)
PS- Thank you for all the John quotes-- I've always loved that song. If you could include some Mariah Carey quotes in the next blog I think you'd get a good response. Just a thought...
Thank you Darren John Mayer Hinton. I second Bethanie's request for Mariah and add another: BSB. They've been shown the meaning of being lonely, but they just want you to know, Backstreet's back (alright!).
listen to jill-she knows what she's talking about.
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