Get busy living...

It might seem a little extreme, comparing prison life with our existence on this Earth. I certainly don't think of it as such, but it is something I've been thinking of a lot as I grow older. Compromise, not being able to do always what you'd want to, having bad days, or indeed the sheer madness of being alive in this day and age gives you no shortage of anxiety. Or at least anxiety-inducing input. To quote Hank Moody,

All the things that weren't supposed to happen? They happened. What happens next is up to you.

question, because in asking what you do to fall in love with life every day, it's putting the power in your hands. So often, with falling in love even, we sort of treat it like this thing that ought to happen to us. Except, with life, if you wait around for something to magically twist around all the things you don't really like to suddenly make your life lovable... well, you might wait awhile.
So.I really liked this week's #KISS

How do you fall in love with life?

And I do consider myself someone deeply in love with her life. And sometimes, I'll catch myself being happy about all these silly, nothing, small things and think how silly. That maybe I'm pumping it up, inflating it beyond what it's worth, you know, my life. But more often than not, I'm crazy about it. Even in all the chaos of this world, even when people around me get upset or angry, even when I get hurt. Even getting hurt is always this sort of double-edged sword to me, because sure it sucks now, but at the same time, it's often a matter of trust and love and other such intense, wonderful emotions that get us hurt. And isn't it amazing that you get to experience that?

Simple things that make you fall in love with your life. Let's see. As a certain Leonard once put it, I like where I'm living. Especially if I've been a little conscientious and cleaned things up a bit. I've tried to surround myself with things I consider unique and if not unique that at least represent me, that suit the peaceful place inside my soul I've always before imagined. And I made a house of it, which means I'll still have a moment about once a day when I catch the light reflected on the wall, or my plants in the window in the early morning, or a little toy munchkin, or just some string lights in the window of my bedroom as I'm drifting to sleep, and think, this place is beautiful and I'm lucky to be here. I really properly think that. Without setting out to. Without making of it a gratitude project. And I know that's not very minimalist of me, but it often makes me smile, so.

Old picture for old music. I wanted a shot of my music posters from my old room, figured this one was fitting.

Old music makes me love my life. All music does, really, but there's these songs I loved when I was a bit smaller. Aerosmith and Warren Zevon. And I still do. Love it. But now it's a bit of an older love, so I won't listen to it as much maybe, yet go back when I need a little pick-me-up and remember life's not really bad at all. I've got a face-wide smile, listening to my old songs, and what seemed like a meh day is suddenly brilliant.

And people. Oh my god, I just love the people. Don't you? Like even when I think bad things sort of about them at large, like why are they so gullible or stupid or mean or whatever, I'll just go for a walk and see this little old woman who thinks nobody's looking at her and look at her. And she'll notice and get all flustered 'cause she didn't have her company face on, and sometimes she'll smile and sometimes she'll look at me like I want something, and it's all just... miraculous. Passing a guy on the street late at night and he's making a point not to stare at me so I don't feel uncomfortable or unsafe or whatever, and to me that's just brilliant. The little ways in which we look out for each other, or surprise each other.

And perhaps the thing I'm loving best lately is listening to my rhythm. I'll sometimes get caught up in an order as I think it should be. I think I've told you about it before. Anyway, lately I've been looking less for what should be doing, and doing intuitively. I'm going with the flow, I guess. It's conducive for creativity, and interestingly enough, for satisfaction with life. I find I know when I want to cook or read or work out or dance or go outside or stay in or listen to loud music (probably always) or... whatever. And as long as I don't try to force myself into something I'm not, it pretty much works out well.

And this. The existence of this, even if it's not here now (though that would be nice). That makes me happy. Knowing that you're on an earth where you can swim and be happy on the beach and feel the sun on your face. How could you not love it?

But at the end of it all, that's what it is to me. Get busy living or get busy dying. You either find the beautiful, good things in the things that surround you or you're not gonna have a very good time. (And what a waste that would be.)