My World
By: Courtney Chen
Life is full of beautiful things that we often forget to stop and appreciate. I'm fortunate to have a world full of people and things that I love that make me who I am today. Let me introduce you to me, my life, my story. My world.
Travel
Sometimes life is about finding beauty in the small things, looking for beauty when it's not always visible. Travel allows me to procure an insight for not only the urban, metropolitan Big Apple, but also for the unknown, such as Konstanz, Germany. Despite the fact I’ve been to NYC and LA, Rome and Paris, London and Beijing, Konstanz has been my favorite place to visit. From the outside, Konstanz is buildings and boring, with a single lake being the only tourist attraction, but after staying there without the luxuries of spas and pools and room service, I began to notice the city’s wondrous components. The grand, pastel-layered buildings standing proudly along the stone streets, the rainy day cafes, the give-up-their-seat-for-you type of benevolent people, the gates with locks of love, the better-than-Starbucks cappuccinos. Travelling, and this trip in particular, made me realize that there’s something special in everything. Sometimes, you just have to search a little harder.
Competition makes everything more fun- class projects, games, etc. because it provides the motivation that propels you to work hard for what you want. Volleyball, in particular, is a sport that involves lots of it. Five years of the sport was plenty of time for me to realize that life is often times more losses than wins. It’s the losses, however, that train me to accept and continue. It’s the losses that make me stronger. A person that forgives and forgets is the one that learns and thrives, not the one that wins continually. Thanks to volleyball, I have learned to be the one that forgives.
One of the most precious jewels in life that we often take for granite (purposely misspelled) is music. Imagining life without it is frightening because music is everywhere- the dripping of a kitchen sink, the awkward silence filler in elevators, the background of a car ride. In my case, it’s blaring through my phone at full blast while I’m in the shower. Though my taste varies from country one day, to rock the next, one things for sure-whether I’m mouthing Beyoncé into a hairbrush, or jamming out to the Friends theme song during the credits, the effect that powerful lyrics have on me will always be as strong as a diamond. Music is definitely a beauty in life, and though I love volleyball, the concept of “ball is life” probably won’t apply to me when I’m eighty and can’t touch my toes, but hopefully, music still will.
Everyone’s life needs a dash of sugar, a hobby that will help spice up his or her monotonous daily routine. Baking is one of mine. When I bake, I’m in control. I get to decide how much cinnamon goes in my roll, or strawberry goes in my shortcake. Like baking, life is also about apportioning your ingredients- balancing what’s on your plate. When all goes well, and the bitter and sweet ratios are all evened out, this feeling of composure is something worth savoring.
Family and friendship are some of my life’s most valuable virtues. Having a relationship with another and sharing a connection is not something that is easily found on a daily basis. It’s more of a hidden treasure. The gold is in knowing that the number of loved ones disappointed and feelings hurt have been outnumbered by the laughs shared and memories made. Fortunately for me, I think I’ve found the key.