I like living.
I have sometimes been wildly,
despairingly, acutely miserable,
racked with sorrow; but
through it all I still know quite
certainly that just to be alive is
a grand thing.

– Agatha Christie

Life is complex. No matter where we are or what we face, we all experience ups and downs to varying degrees, and sometimes it sucks. A lot. So much so that we can feel like we’re at the brink of throwing our hands in the air and screaming: “I GIVE UP!”

But Agatha Christie’s quote reminds me to find gratitude in the every day moments, to celebrate the gift of existence, and to cultivate resilience in the face of challenges. Even amidst pain and sorrow, there is an underlying beauty and grandeur in the experience of being alive. It’s just up to us to notice and find hope in that.

It’s been a tough few days for me, but today I drink a cool beer, sit on my carpet, and type out this blog post while listening to the reruns of a beloved TV show. Later, I’ll sit with my mom, research things to do tomorrow, and remember to be mindfully present and specifically thankful of where I am. The drama of life can be exhausting in every way possible, but

just to be alive is a grand thing.