Nonfiction by Ron Theel
We learn by doing, and experiences can be great teachers.
Don’t get too comfortable as your life can change quickly.
One winter, we had an unusually warm early March. Everyone hoped for an early spring. A bitter cold front suddenly swooped in, bringing with it sleet and freezing rain. While walking my dog, I came across two robins, their backs frozen to the sidewalk, feet sticking up in the air. The promise of early spring vanished overnight.
Follow your heart and your passion.
One of my college roommates, Ben, was a gifted viola player. Ben wanted to pursue a career in music, but his father insisted that he enroll as a pre-med student. He became disinterested in his coursework and dropped out at the end of his sophomore year. Several years passed until one day I received a letter from Ben. He graduated from the Royal College of Music in London and was making plans to audition for the London Symphony. Always remember that your life is your journey.
Travel as much as you can. It will change the way you view the world.
I’ve been to China five times. Billions of people don’t live the same way we do and don’t share the same beliefs, values, and way of life that we do. You will realize what a tiny speck we occupy in the world and be grateful for the things we do have in America.
I do have some regrets. I wish I had been more of a “free spirit” earlier in life. On a beautiful morning, it’s okay to hit your “pause button.” Grab today. Spend a day at the beach. Hike in the forest. Claim your day. It belongs to you and to no one else. It took a progressive, incurable disease for me to realize this. No one is guaranteed tomorrow.
Don’t get trapped in the past. Be a forward-thinking, lifelong learner. I wish I had kept more current with our ever-changing technology and made more of an effort to adapt to an ever-changing world. Changes come so fast. Moving forward in life is about adaptation.
Remember that your life is your journey. Be sure to make the most of it!
Ron Theel is a freelance writer, photographer, and mixed media artist living in Syracuse, NY. His writing has appeared in The Bluebird Word, The RavensPerch, Beyond Words, and elsewhere.
