What Do You Believe In?

I believe in grilled cheese and Mount Gay rum — not necessarily together though either goes great with pretty much anything.

I believe that people, as a whole, don’t know anything about anyone; everyone has a story and we shouldn’t assume we have already read them all. I believe that the best thing you can do if you love someone is to tell them up front; beating around the bush is for pansies. (That was a pun.)

I believe in good music. Not music that just makes you happy but music that makes you think and feel and breathe a little bit differently for a long time after you first listen.

I believe in champagne for no reason and that being weak in the knees is a good thing. Unless you are a runner, in which case I believe you need more calcium in your diet and maybe some physical therapy.

I believe in macaroni and cheese on Christmas and I believe that those that disagree must be distantly related to Satan.

I believe in skinny-dipping at night (though never alone) and that the best cure for a hangover is an old fashioned coca cola. I believe that pickles are some kind of evil joke God is trying to play on us and that cream cheese should be considered the eighth deadly sin.

I believe in men that refuse to wear white athletic socks with any other shoe besides a sneaker and who enjoy a nice pair of pleated pants.

I believe that Band-Aids on anything other than an open wound (i.e. shark bite or otherwise) are for sissies and that sometimes for one fleeting moment it is possible to have it all; or at the very least feel like you do.

I believe that pigs in a blanket (in both the cocktail hors d’oeuvre and swaddled swine categories) are nothing short of amazing.

I believe that actions speak louder than words but that words themselves shouldn’t die a slow and painful “wutz ^, nm, hbu?” related death. If we are doomed to become a generation that communicates solely through e-mails and text messages we may as well make them witty and worth our while. Speaking of wit, I wholeheartedly believe in it; not only keeping them about you but also having a quick one.

I believe that sometimes, we forget how amazing we are and that everything really is going to be okay.

I believe that wrinkles are the human version of a tree trunk’s rings and that freckles are permanent reminders of summer camp.

I believe that there is nothing funnier than a dog with a stereotypically human name and I believe in love. I believe in bad sitcoms with laugh loops and that maybe Lindsay Lohan isn’t all that bad. I believe in good handwriting and manners and that sometimes, it is okay to leap before you look.

I believe in gold jewelry for special occasions and also for not so special occasions, because every day of your life is a special occasion. I believe that there are very few things a glass of wine can’t fix and that the first time you really grow up is when you see your dad cry. I believe that kids should be forced to play weekend sports even if it means you have to bribe them with Dunkin Donuts after.

I believe that cancer sucks, that John Mayer’s first album was his best album and that record collections shouldn’t be limited to hipsters in Brooklyn. I believe that you should do stupid things when you’re young, if only for a story worthy of solidifying your spot later on as “the cool grandmother.”

I believe that ice hockey is the most fun sport to watch and that I will probably never understand why baseball takes so long. I believe that a head-back-excessively-loud-oh-my-God-people-are-staring full belly laugh arguably feels just as good as sex and that blue is the most acceptable color for toe nail polish. I believe that growing up is terrifying yet manageable and that Boursin garlic and herb cheese spread is a viable dinner option.

I believe that people who get their hair braided on spring break should be detained and that shooting stars happen for a reason. I believe in sleeping bags outside in the summer and good poetry. I believe in fly-fishing and that there are plenty of fish in the sea; just maybe not in New York City. I believe that 80% of what people say when they are kidding is actually what they are truly thinking and that anti-aging eye creams are overrated.

I believe that cashmere anything is well worth the investment but nothing will make you feel as warm as a hug from one of your former teachers. I believe that everyone should try to play an instrument at least once and that shoes should be optional during the months of May, June, July, and August.

I believe in you and fate and serendipity and karma but mainly, I believe in grilled cheese, Mount Gay rum, and living — living in a way that makes you and only you the happiest you can be. In other words, I believe in believing in something regardless of how petty it may seem. If you believe in it, it is worth believing in. Remember that. Thought Catalog Logo Mark

featured image – Khánh Hmoong

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