Words for Living

Is there any life lesson to be learned 

in only twelve months? I did not think it 
so, but it is easy to surprise me.

My lesson could be divided into 
four parts, all of which are important. First,
so simple to understand, is the rule 

of learning. Not scholarly learning, but 
life learning. You discover life’s do’s and 
don’ts. Start asking all your questions, finding 

all of your answers. Do what you would not 
normally, but don’t lose sight of yourself.
Next, you discover liking. Not simply 

enjoying—you learn about the feeling 
of butterfly wings, ones that tickle you, 
making you shake, and not always with fun  

laughter. No fear should be found here, just your 
childish naivety, unbroken 
by your years. You’ll wish for forever, but 

you will learn your lesson. There is no cure 
for it, for learning to like, but it is 
finished off by one solemn affair; the 

part to fear is that of losing, step three 
of learning to like life. Losing, it is 
like the thick air of a summer storm, which 

weighs down on you, carries you away in 
its cold waters. My advice is to keep 
your head up, because there is always one

thing to find, at the least, at the end of 
your storm. More often than not, it finds you 
before then, keeps you afloat. Get a hold 

on this lifeline; it is what completes your 
lesson, the final part. Loving. You ask 
your questions, feel the wings, brave the storm, all 

to end with this, where you’ve found all you need 
to know. Your life lesson, it is merely 
one of learning to like and losing to love.