Everything has an expiration date. The food in the fridge grows mold, shoes wear out, phones glitch out and childhood turns into adulthood.
Endings are part of life. Each time we watch a movie or read a book we’re reminded of this. Every story has an end.
Sometimes the ending is satisfying and sometimes it’s not. But, the end of one thing is the beginning of another. Endings aren’t always bad.
Many of our friendships have expiration dates as well. Logistically, it’s very difficult to stay connected with a large number of people if you don’t live in the same area or do the same things. If you live with someone, you’ll see them all the time. If you have a class with someone, you’ll see them several times a week. If you live in the same town as someone, you’ll see them often. It is difficult to maintain relationships.
Andrew Brand | Argonaut
Roommates move out, classes end and people graduate and move away. Many things in our lives are temporary, but this doesn’t make them any less important — if anything, this makes them more important.
Knowing that everything has an expiration date helps us appreciate the time we have right now.
I love coconut-almond milk. It only lasts about a week after opening, but the fact that it’s going to expire doesn’t deter me from loving it — in fact, I try to enjoy it as much as I can before it expires because I don’t want to waste any of it.
If we treat other areas of our lives like coconut-almond milk, we can learn to be more present around the people and places that surround us right now. By doing this, we can find joy in the all the little moments.
In the moment, it never feels like anything is going to end. But then it does, and it can be shocking. But if we anticipate the end before it happens we can find the full potential in things.
I’m graduating from the University of Idaho this semester. The chapter of school in my life is closing, but I recognize the ending of this season will make room for something new. Although leaving UI is bittersweet, I’m excited for what’s next and I’m thankful for the time I’ve had here.
Sometimes it’s good for things to end. It helps us continue to change and grow. We all need newness in our lives, but the only way for this to happen is for something to end.
If you look at nature, it’s broken down into days, seasons and years. It’s constantly going through cycles of endings and beginnings. The winter must end in order for spring to begin. The night has to end in order for the brightness of a new day to begin. We can learn something from this.
By embracing the brevity of the seasons of our lives, we can be more fully present and alive.
Make the most of today, because it will soon be over.
Andrew Brand can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @theandrewbrand