The Little Things

Things that are awesome: appreciating the little things. Helps you take a step back from your chaotic life and have some appreciation for what makes it beautiful.

A lot of the things they mention there ooze memories of CTY. I'm probably seeing it that way because I just turned in my CTY RA job application - it's the only thing I want to do with my summer. I've been thinking a lot about what kind of RA I would and could be, and how excited I would be to get the job. I'm really happy I didn't ADD my way out of the job application.

Here are some highlights (for me personally) of the website, in the first 50 or so:

Seeing this reminds me of this past summer, when Kat came to visit. I hadn't seen her in over two years, and I was waiting for her at the airport for about an hour or so. Seeing her in the flesh after so long was a moving and emotional experience - and one of my favorite memories. Which brings me to this:

Maybe it's all in my head (sometimes I think that it is). Maybe they're just humoring me and my weird mommy instincts. But if there's even a little bit of truth to it, being a role model for kids like Lili and Kat has been extremely rewarding. Obviously the age difference is negligible - what's one year? But honestly and truthfully to me they (not limited to Kat and Lili of course) feel like younger siblings. I love them unconditionally and I want them to be happy and successful. When Lili and Ruthie got into Bocconi and Yale I had never felt so proud. Like I said, maybe I'm just deluding myself. I know I'm not the best role model (ADD/laziness/procrastination issues abound). But if, to someone, somewhere, I really am one? There's nothing I would rather be.

Ok, this one doesn't really relate specifically to CTY or anyone in particular. But MAN do I love this! It's the whole reason I listen to music everywhere I go. It's also the reason for my self-described "swag walk" (probably not as swagadelic as I think it is) - I always walk to a beat.

The times that I get complimented and it seriously boosts my spirit are few and far in between. But when it does happen, it happens like this. Sometimes it's someone close to me, and sometimes it's someone I don't know very well at all (which can arguably make it better). When it's a compliment you've never heard before, it's usually because it's specific to you, rather than a generic "you're smart/driven/beautiful/vomit-inducing". Before leaving for college, Emma Strother gave me a little goodbye letter. This comes along towards the end of it: "I have been so grateful to know such a funny, bright, and enthusiastic kindred spirit." I keep that letter tacked onto my corkboard. It's the only piece of writing there.

The first person I thought of when I saw this was Anika. Who I dearly miss. I just remember sharing these kinds of looks with her all the time in class, in group settings, pokemon battles, anything. She's not my best friend, but she's one of my favorite friends, if that makes any sort of sense at all. She gets me in a way that no one else does. She gets me in a look.

The first person I thought of when I saw this one was actually Daphna. Which is weird, considering we've barely been in contact for the past two years or so. I've been thinking about her a lot lately, and I've been quite desperately hoping that the next time I see her it's exactly like this. My biggest fear is that it isn't. The second person I thought of was Jesus (no, not that one. The blonde girl). This about sums up my friendship with her. We're not constantly in contact. We go through really long periods without it, actually. But I don't think we will ever be awkward or weird around one another. We've been friends for six years now, and I think that if we didn't speak for another six and then hung out, nothing will have changed.

I love the little things in life. And so should you. Because the little things can't be named or encapsulated in their entirety. Get away from the clutter of life, reflect, and be.

-Viv

Laozi: The named is the mother of ten thousand things.