If you’re reading this, it is okay to choose joy, even when life feels heavy.
Today, things feel heavier than usual. My heart mirrors my body, a little sluggish and a lot tired.
Today, I feel the weight of the world. The good, the bad, the hurt, the joy — all of it a balancing act I struggle to maintain.
Today, I know I am not alone. I rest in the presence of my friends, and even more importantly, I rest in the presence of myself, knowing that I need to take care of her, too.
There is no particular reason that today feels different than other days. Sometimes, I feel like life travels full speed ahead, while I run to catch up. And today, I think I caught up, breathless, yet still moving forward.
And I feel breathless often. I am always thinking of the next: the next steps I should take in my major, the next test, the next responsibility, the next meal, even the next time I can sleep. Life whispers: keep moving, keep working, keep on top of things, keep up, keep up, keep up. I am trying, but more often than not, I fail.
And that’s okay, because I am doing enough. I am enough. Life shouldn’t be a constant competition to keep up, to stay afloat, to smile when it feels like the world is against you. This life doesn’t have any guidelines or prerequisites. I am allowed to show up to this life unedited and imperfect.
So, yes, things feel a little heavy today, but that doesn’t make it a bad life or even a bad day, just different. Whenever I feel a little off or extra anxious, I always try to find the source, but the thing about anxiety is that it is often likely I cannot identify any one determining factor. There is absolutely nothing wrong with not feeling okay and not knowing its cause. In these moments, I take extra notice of the little things that bring me joy: a smile from a stranger, the bright orange leaves in front of my house, the surprising 70 degree weather in fall, a laugh, clean laundry, a cup of tea. The list is endless, but only if I choose to focus on those things rather than things I cannot make sense of right now. So today, with a weary heart, I choose to smile even if I feel like I shouldn’t. I choose to say yes to a visit with a friend even if I have a pile of deadlines to keep. I choose to sleep in, to let my body rest, to pay close attention to what I need in this moment. I choose to show up to today, acknowledging that I don’t have it all together and that’s okay. I choose to look forward to upcoming joys rather than upcoming responsibilities. I choose to show myself the same love I show my friends: a limitless, unabridged, honest sort of love. And today, despite the heaviness I feel, I choose joy.
Ari H., University of Virginia ‘21