SUNdays

     When the first signs of warmth grace my college's campus after months of chilly, brisk weather, it becomes a college like in the movies. It seems as if the entire student body is stretched out on the lawn reading, playing a friendly game of frisbee, or making small talk under the sun. Everyone soaks it in while they can. Life is often best expressed as the first pleasant day after a bitter winter. It isn’t the least bit predictable, but it almost always turns around. Right when we start thinking life will never get better, it usually does. Even if only for a little while, the sun comes out. 

     That’s why we have to take advantage of the good days; they give us the encouragement we need to get through the challenges and difficulties that are inevitable as time passes. Life is not easy by any means, but when the sun comes out, we are reminded that it is good. For a matter of time, worry is boxed up under our beds with our winter boots. With lighter clothing and lighter hearts comes the spirit of the invincible summer. However, the seasons are out of our hands, and naturally, our weightlessness periodically ceases as life replaces its weight upon our backs. 

      One of the best measurements of our strength is how we carry life’s heavy weight. If we learn how to carry ourselves gracefully, rather than fold under the weight of difficulty and stress, we can be more prepared for the daily challenges that we are bound to face. After all, maintaining a positive attitude in the midst of the good times is simple. It is during the bad times that we show our true strength.

     So let’s take advantage of the bad times, as if they were a chance to strengthen and establish who we are in the thick and thin. Only a true optimist could do so, but luckily, optimism, like strength, is an acquirable skill. Then, when the good times come along, which they will, we will be able to relish the hopeful nature of every season of life. Truthfully, we can all create a little bit of our own sunshine. xoxo Jess.