Texas-Shaped Things

Straight Talk Sunday: Life is Short, Live it With a Smile

lydiasimmons:

Recently I’ve been posting statuses on the Sunset in the Rearview Facebook Page that I call “Straight Talk.” I want this blog to be a true representation of me and who I am, so I’m going to start writing Straight Talk Sundays so that you guys can know what’s on my mind or what I feel like talking about. Total transparency. 

Do you ever get in those moods or conversations where you start pondering life…wondering what it really is, how we got here…what came first, the chicken or the egg…and what happens after we’re gone? Part of me absolutely loathes these thoughts; after all, why should we waste our time wondering? I tell myself that my motto is to ‘live in the moment,’ but if that’s what I spend my time thinking about, I’m certainly breaking my own rule. At the same time, though, I love these thoughts or conversations because you can really get wrapped up in them. It’s philosophy, really; you never know the right answer for sure, but it’s trippy and fun to think about and reason with certain thoughts or ideas. 

Well, when it comes down to it all, I’ve learned one thing about life: it is short. This is one of the hardest things to ever learn or wrap your head around, because you typically only come to realize this after losing somebody special.

As you may know if you’ve been reading Sunset long enough, I lost my Dad this past year. My Dad was one of my very best friends, my mentor, my guiding light, and my inspiration in nearly everything I did. At the snap of a finger, I felt as though I lost all of that. It was a slap in the face and I thought that I would never be able to smile again. 

Well, guess what? I did smile. I picked my chin up because I knew that’s what my Dad would want. He was always smiling, and I know that somewhere he’s still smiling today. Same goes for anybody you ever lost. I guarantee you that they would want you to be smiling. It’s not always up to us to decide when we leave this place, but what we can control is what we leave behind and how we spent our time here. My Dad left a lot behind for me; he really paved the way for me and all of my sisters. Now it’s in my hands to follow his path and also to make sure that I’m happy while doing so.

It’s hard for me to write all of this, you know. I don’t know the majority of you who are reading this. (Hi, my name is Lydia. What’s your name?) Most of you didn’t know my Dad. Why should I share my feelings with you? Will it offend my family that I’m talking about something so personal on such a public space? Well, that’s the thing that I’ve had to come to terms with. This is my life, and as I said, I’m in control of how I live it. It’s on me to ensure that I’m happy while I’m here. Holding everything in about my Dad wasn’t the path I chose to take. I love to talk about him, and I know, being the person who he was, that he wouldn’t want me to keep anything in or keep secrets from anybody. So, hey, you; nice to meet you. Welcome to my mind (be careful, it’s a mess in there sometimes). 

What does this have to do with music? Very little, actually. But here’s what I can tell you. It sure does relate to Sunset in the Rearview as a blog. This thing takes up 90% of my free time. Meh, make that 95%. It’s hard work updating it so frequently and maintaining all of the managerial and logistical stuff behind it. I like to think of it as a child of mine, in a way, something that I don’t often like to leave on its own. But through the trials and tribulations I’ve seen in the past 7 months, I’ve learned that sometimes you just have to put things aside and enjoy the natural world that existed far before the Internet ever did. Step away from your gadgets and enjoy human interaction. Let music be your soundtrack, if you wish; that’s what I do. But free your hands, free your mind, and live a little. Remember: life is short; live it with a smile. 

“Chicago” - Sufjan Stevens

You came to take us, all things go, all things go. To recreate us, all things grow, all things grow.