Letting my Passions Flourish

Today marks the eighth day of Blogmas. Fifteen days of my thoughts, with some Christmas cheer sprinkled in.

Not even a couple of days ago, I had told my friend that I missed the times when I could spend hours diving into a book and finishing it in one sitting. Since I had said that, I have finished one book and gotten two hundred pages into another. I realized that it was something that I felt passionate about. Reading makes me happy, and it helps my spark stay vibrant.

I've continued making excuses for myself, although some of them are understandably valid. Between school and work, I sometimes don't have as much time to read as I'd like, causing it to be pushed to the side, collecting dust, and becoming a forgotten memory. Another excuse I tend to have on hand is that I am tired; sometimes that cloud of fogginess prevents me from seeing how reading and other hobbies, such as puzzles, make me feel. They make me feel exhilarated. As if I could stay in my one spot for hours on end as long as I am doing them. It's this never-ending source of joy; I can get lost in these limitless possibilities.

Why shouldn't I spend time doing things that make me feel that way? Why shouldn't I rant about the new books I just got? Seriously, though, the way they feel in my hand and the smell they have. It's heaven. Even just the experience of walking through a library looking at book after book.

While yes, puzzles and books are my obsessions right now, another one is spending time with people who make me feel like myself. I went to the movies the other day with the coolest nerd ever, and I had the time of my life. I wouldn't have chosen to be anywhere else. I mean, good company, popcorn, chocolate, and a movie about animals. Cmon now?! I was laughing the whole time, and I loved having someone to make small comments to during the movie, especially when he understood my references and was thinking the same thing. Slowly, but surely, I've been realizing that if I'm going to live life, I am going to live life! It'll show through where I work, my hobbies, and who I choose to spend time with. Life is too short to spend it doing things I don't love.