YOLO, Life, Death, and ‘that’ one thing…

July 4, 2013 by My Spoken Heart - Andrea Crowell 18 Comments

We only die once, but we endure life everyday. So why not live it & love it!

My cousin posted something very similar to the above statement on FB the other day. It got me thinking. I am not a huge fan of YOLO (you only live once) thinking. Even though I believe it’s true; we only live once (I am not inviting a philosophical debate on reincarnation here OK) that is not a reason to be ridiculously stupid with your life. The YOLO philosophy isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But I think in many cases it leads to living selfishly rather than selflessly. It seems to promote stupidity and a lack of common sense as a means to living a ‘satisfying’ life. Life is not a race to find the biggest most amazing adrenaline rush available. It is not about doing all the things we think will satisfy our many lusts; taking extreme risks, doing drugs, partying, sexing it up. Those things in the beginning may be self gratifying and exciting, but ask anyone who has lived there for any length of time, in the long run living like that will suck your life from you and own you.

I am not suggesting we hide in our homes wrapped in bubble wrap afraid to do anything. What I am suggesting is that life is a precious gift. That it is a gift that needs to be appreciated and used to it’s fullest capacity. That life is truly about love; about learning to love and learning to accept love.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return. ~ Moulin Rouge

Taking care of others, being kind, talking to that person you have been admiring from afar (whether a romantic interest or professional or friendship it doesn’t matter) these can be huge for both your own growth and happiness as well for others around you.

Throwing caution to the wind and doing that one thing you always wanted to do, that one thing that keeps you awake at night, brings a smile to your face, occupies your thoughts and dreams, that is living life.

Curly: Do you know what the secret of life is? [holds up one finger] This.
Mitch: Your finger?
Curly: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don’t mean shit.
Mitch: But, what is the “one thing?”
Curly: That’s what you have to find out.      ~ City Slickers

It doesn’t matter what that one thing is – it’s different for each person, it could be raising a family, traveling, quitting your job and doing something you love, or always wanted to try, whether it’s being an artist, a poet, a singer, going back to school to get your doctorate, or maybe even just to graduate, missionary work (at home or abroad), anything, it can be anything at all really. It isn’t about what that one thing is, it’s about loving your life and who you are, really feeling it and letting yourself succeed. It’s about not hindering yourself but rather giving up on your doubts and fears.

Follow your heart…

“I have broken up with my doubts, and now I’m marrying my dreams” ~unknown

Why do so many of us choose to just endure life? Why trudge through when you can embrace what you have and love it? We are not promised tomorrow. Death is our only guarantee so make the most of what you have today, learn to live in the now and not in the some day and if you are lucky enough to wake up tomorrow say ‘thank-you’, breath in the sweetness of life and make the most of that day. Always seek the silver lining even when the skies are grey and things seem shitty. Take that shit and turn it into fertilizer. Use it on the soil of your life, it will make the flowers grow.