The Little Things

Last year, I graduated from college and soon after moved to NYC for work.

It signified the start of a new chapter in my life: childhood ending and adulthood beginning.

I come home decently often, but typically only for quick trips. When I do, there are always so many things I want to do, like golfing, since I can’t in NYC, and catching up with friends I don't get to see as often.

But this past weekend was different. It was a family friend’s 25th-anniversary party. All the families I grew up with were there, and it was just an old-fashioned good time.

Dancing, singing, a classic Indian celebration.

My parents were nervous yet excited because they were going to perform a dance for everyone, a common way to show love in Indian culture.

I snuck to the front to get the perfect angle to record their performance.

The dance started, and my dad, who's typically not a great dancer, surprisingly did a good job. (My mom is always good.)

And in the middle of the dance, a thought I've been considering on and off for some time resurfaced:

Appreciate the little things.

Now that I’m 23 (yes, I know I’m still young), I've gained just enough life experience to recognize some truths. I'm definitely not qualified to give extensive advice, but I’ve learned my fair share of lessons:

Time really does fly.

Your friends matter, and maintaining relationships requires effort.

But the lesson I’m currently learning is to not take the small moments for granted.

As I sat watching my parents, who are gradually getting older, I couldn't help but smile.

Their dance wasn't some spectacular performance everyone in the audience would remember forever, most would probably forget it by the next day.

But for me, maybe in 10 or 20 years when I’m 40 and they're around 70, it'll be a video I look back on with a smile or even a tear.

Since starting this new chapter in life, I've realized how important it is to appreciate simplicity in daily routines:

The walk to class with your friends.

Game nights.

Cooking with your mom.

It's unfortunate that we humans often only realize how valuable these small moments are once they're gone.

Instead, make the effort to appreciate them while they're still happening.

It's difficult at first, but once you start noticing, it almost becomes a superpower,

The ability to know how much you'll miss a moment while you're still living it.

Because one day, the videos will blur, the memories will fade, and the voices will grow quieter.

But if you’re lucky—really lucky—you’ll have soaked in enough of the little things to carry them with you.

A laugh echoing in your head. Your dad handing you a plate of cut fruit without saying a word. Your mom telling you to be careful as you leave the house. Or your parents dancing 

And in those fragments, you’ll remember what really mattered.

Not the milestones. Not the big achievements.

But the simple moments that made life feel full.