I do my best thinking when I’m feeling nostalgic. I love the feeling of taking it all in and remembering good days. Nostalgia and gratefulness go hand in hand in my brain and feeling big feelings is such a special part of being human that I hope I never let myself take lightly. Its the tickle in your nose when you think about what is no longer, but what was so good.
Right now I am feeling especially nostalgic, sitting outside a coffee shop looking out onto a street corner that is more than familiar. The first real home word strings ever had looked out over this stop light at Wooster and Main and just a few blocks away is the house I lived in with my best friends through a pandemic that kept me inside + allowed this business to thrive. Just around the corner from that is campus, and the dorm where it all began.
I remember sitting on this street with friends, almost five years ago, doing homework + stitching into sweatshirts that I thrifted down the road in this small little safe haven of a town. All of this started with words– people’s favorite words— and they would trust me with them to put them on a shirt that they could wear and share with the world. It was so special. I loved hearing the stories of why they wanted certain phrases. It was so tender.
That was just the beginning. How special it is to know now what was ahead of her then. I have the nose tickle right now. I wish I could tell her how good it gets, and to savor all she had right in front of her.
I think everyone has these kind of moments when their chest feels proud and their heart feels a bit bittersweet all at the same time.
I realize now why when people say to soak it up, they mean it. I love how folks in the midwest take an hour to say goodbye. I love how we linger. I love how conversations take us back in time. I love being here now, but I loved being there, then too. And thats what is so special. I’m sure ill look back on this moment here someday not too far away and long for it all the same.
I never know exactly what I want to write about when I start these entires, but I know when my soul needs to write I let it. Today’s doesn’t seem to have a big breakthrough message, but I think maybe just a reminder that we all need from time to time. Days are long but years are short. Months go by in the blink of an eye and life is so precious– so so precious. So for now, sit with each day. Remember it. Stay present, know you’ll want this day again. Open your eyes, notice it all. Embrace the ones close to you. Take steps towards your dreams. Eat lovely breakfasts. Sit at the coffee shop. Take a walk on streets you once knew. Replay the memories. Let the tickle come to your nose. And then feel the warmth that all the sweetness happened.
Remember that someday was once today, and yesterday was once the ahead of you. Today is what we have. Be here.
