The Party of Life

Life dashes past us in such haste. Seconds turn into minutes, minutes into hours, hours into days, days into weeks, weeks into months. Before we know it, we lose essence of what is truly important and significant. Materialism takes over. Like some ghastly form of dictatorship, it makes us develop an infatuation with objects made of plastic and cloth.

Yes, guilty as charged. However, as much as I enjoy my True Religions, I do consider myself a citizen of humanity.

We are life’s mannequins – accessorized and outfitted to perfection. It all may look flawless on the outside, Vinyard Vines polo and all, but is there a soul underneath? The eyes peering behind the designer frames appear innocent; however, are they?

We are always in some type of rush, attempting to fit more tasks into a day than the 24 hours can handle. Speeding right past what is around us, having to prioritize…at times, it is almost like our feet are not on the ground. Time flies, the acne cleanser quickly turns into a nightly wrinkle cream. Where have the years gone? It is the eternal human flaw that we grow too obsessed with other trivial matters and lose track of the vitals. Luckily, once in a while, some power sheds a light on the actuality. At times tragic or horrific, while at other times less cosmic and extreme. These little reality checks shake the idealism, making it one little bit less romantic and faultless. The pasted smiles skew downwards. The mannequin eyes fill with tears. The hearts begins to ache. The plastic fingers gain a sense of touch and reach for a Kleenex.

As much as we try to keep our world running smoothly, as imperfect as it is, it trembles ever so often. Some vast forces sweep through and bend our spirits, twist our insides, and shower the grounds with pessimism. These obstacles are thrown down to help us gain strength. There will always be the unsuccessful attempts, failed relationships, the two-sided blades, and the critics that speak negatively despite our presence. Nevertheless, there are always the good souls and Samaritans. It is with those people that the years fall away. Those you can remember with. Those that remember how far you have come.

It is about to be the tenth year since we left the (1-9-9-some number) years in the dust. Two thousand – with its thousands of problems, social issues, advancements, and merriment -swept over. All this time has not been radically different from previous decades – a war is being fought, not so faithful husbands and wives are still cheating on each other, politicians are playing monopolizing games, and so forth. Guns. Money. Power. Sex. The same deal that has always been in circulation.

Maybe, for a slight change, this upcoming 10th year of the 2000s we can touch basis with the essence. Place things on pause for a second and take a look around. Genuinely express love for our families. Hear a story or two from our grandparents about the old days. Thank our friends for being there and keeping them in our hearts no matter where they may be. Overcome differences with whomever for whatever reason. Show courtesy. Be thankful for our health. Greet our neighbors. Accept people for who they are and either choose to keep them in our lives or let them go. Plant a tree as a symbol of something new. Grasp the sand at the beach and let it slip between your fingers. Smell the October leaves as they hit the ground. Take a deep breath of crisp winter air. Get caught in an April shower without an umbrella or rain boots.

It may seem like a far-fetched request and you probably won’t pencil it into your busy schedule. Or it will get put off like that diet plan we always say we will start next week. Nevertheless, consider this my personal invitation to the party of life.