Saying ‘YES’ to Life and Learning how to make the best out of everything
We live our lives trying to achieve goals that we fixated our minds on ever since we were old enough to dream. Years pass away and you realise that the best moments in life are the most spontaneous ones. Seeing your parents smile, seeing your siblings happy, that amazing selfie you took with your family on your trip to Bali and that group photo of you and your beloved friends at your graduation; those are the memories that stay with you forever.
I lived my life wanting to be just like my father. He is an amazing family man who puts family first every chance he gets. He makes it a point to teach me and my sister that the best things in life comes to those who give back. He’s the kind of man who’d give away the only pair of shoes to a homeless guy; he’s amazing. Ever since I was 12, my family travelled the world together. Thailand, Malaysia, Rome, Paris, etc.. we made sure we were on the map. The reason for this was simple. As explained by my mother and my father, the best way to feel alive is to experience and make memories with your loved ones; that simple.
We as humans, spend all our lives fighting through barriers, trying to make it and always grabbing hold of every opportunity that comes our way that will ensure the subtraction of the distance between our current position in life and our dream. It’s an endless war and this fight will never end unless you pause and enjoy the fight you are fighting. It’s beautiful how your mother and your father sacrifice their money, time, sweat and tears to make sure their children get the best of everything. I paused and I witnessed this and it brought so much clarity to my life. What’s the point of running around trying to achieve your dreams if you don’t enjoy the baby steps you took to make sure that you made it another day?
Push back. Smile. Relax. Everything is going to be okay.
The best experiences come to you when you say ‘Yes’ to opportunities. Insecurities might suddenly resurface making you hesitant to make decisions sometimes. Just remember, when someone asks if you would be interested in <INSERT-NEW-EXPEREINCE-HERE> and if you haven’t tried it before, do it!
We made it a point to embrace different customs and traditions, fashion styles and even eating habits of the countries we visited. Remember, it’s about keeping life ‘novel’ and ‘fun’
My sister and I have a very close relationship and we usually stand out as the ‘silly idiots’ in a crowd of greyscaled people. It’s important that we forget all about the burdens of life and enjoy every second we have with our friends and family. Take a selfie, throw your hands up in the air, show your teeth and smile! There’s no better feeling than being comfortable around the ones you love.
Here’s the truth. You don’t need money, fame or endless amounts of time to have a good time and make memories. You simply need the willingness to say yes to new opportunities. This reminds me of the movie ‘Yes Man (2008)’ which spun around the story of a man (Jim Carrey) who hesitated to give in to life’s many wonders after a series of unfortunate events in his life. However he learns that he actually started living after saying ‘yes’ to the perfect opportunities.
Cherish your time with friends and family. You don’t live forever.
I write this as I listen to Ben Howard’s Time is Dancing. It’s the perfect song to describe this rollercoaster of emotions. I am ready for what life has to offer me tomorrow :) Are you?
Dinuka Jayasuriya
