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| Pexels |
I think it'll be worth it.
He let the thought swirl in his mind like the mist around his huddled figure. It danced in the dark of the predawn, bright and glittering.
Hmm. Perhaps a little too bright. Perhaps a little too glittering.
He curled his fist in the grass upon the hill, gripping stems and cold dirt between his fingers. He had promised himself he wouldn't think like that anymore. Those were the kind of thoughts that had stolen years of his life. No, in this new chapter, he had promised himself he would try to be brave.
Slowly, deliberately, his lungs expanded and emptied. Once. Twice. Three more breaths and the sun spilled over the distant treetops, warming the air and bathing the campus and city beneath him in an ethereal glow.
But should I really do this?
As the world woke, he hit play for the umpteenth time on the voice message his older sister sent him the night he'd taken a chance and moved across the world to pursue a dream.
Her voice crinkled from the speaker, warm and wise and a bit unsure, "…No, I get what you're saying. But, I mean, the world has always been crazy, really. Like, throughout history, there was always something going on.
"I think … honestly, I think you just have to learn to laugh in the presence of fear. To just, regardless of all the hard things around you, make the memories anyway. Seize the day anyway. I think it’s how we humans have even made it this far…”
He stopped the message and stood, resolve solidifying like an aged stone in his chest.
Make the memories anyway.
He set off down the hill, cool droplets of dew flying up in his wake.
Make the memories anyway.
He would say yes to this chance.
Then he would write up a list, compile all the brave things he’d been too fearful to do until now.
Make the memories anyway.
And he would not waste the gift that was this present moment. He had one semester left. Just the one.
God, help me make it count.
He skidded to a stop at the outer door to his dorm. When had he broken into a run? As he pulled his ID card from his pocket, he took one last, long breath, filling his lungs with the sweet air of a fresh new day.
Then he reached out and placed his palm on the handle.
"Okay. Let's do this."
~ ~ ~
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