Each morning, I write in my journal and make a gratitude list. I share that list with a few sober friends, and they, in turn, often share their lists with me. It’s a wonderful practice, and I gain so much from the things they find gratitude for each day. It helps expand my own gratitude and is simply a great way to begin the day.
One of my good buddies often includes this on his list: “Just don’t take it all too seriously.”
I always love when that shows up on his list. It reminds me not to take everything so seriously. I think about it often, and every once in a while, it makes its way onto my own list.
In pursuing a more meaningful life, I often get lost in taking things too seriously. When this happens, I become so focused on trying to get everything right that I forget to look around and truly appreciate the beauty and joy in everyday life. I forget to laugh and become burdened with the feeling that if I’m relaxing or having too much fun, I might be wasting time—time I could spend improving, growing, learning, and refining every single facet of my existence. I feel like I HAVE to get it right, and I take it all too seriously.
In Essentialism by Greg McKeown, he talks about how humans learn through play. Some of our best thinking happens while playing. Play is essential to us as humans, yet I often downplay it (no pun intended). I think it’s part of our culture: when we grow up, we’re expected to be serious and take on responsibilities, and responsibilities are not fun. Life is tough, and since we’re grown up, we’d better get to it and leave childish play behind, taking everything too seriously.
The truth is, when I slow down, look around, and take time to be grateful, I realize how lucky and blessed I am. I think of my favorite passage, Matthew 6:25-27: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
I love it when I see little birds bouncing around outside, especially if I’m at a café and they’re hopping about, looking for scraps of food dropped by the patrons. I know that nature can be violent and unrelenting, but in that moment, those little birds are being taken care of. They don’t need to worry. They can enjoy the day, eat the little scraps, and sing their songs.
Life is a beautiful gift, and I’m thankful for the times I don’t take it all too seriously. I can be completely present, appreciating the gifts of the present moment.