take these broken wings, and learn to fly.

today i was reading a news feed on a social networking site, just gliding my finger aimlessly through meaningless comments and stupid status updates. 

then i came to something that caught my attention.

a boy had asked a girl a question, which wasn't visible, but her answer struck me.

her words simply stated, 

"i'm just not happy. it's not an option anymore. i'm too busy."
for a moment i sat there, blankly staring at my phone. 

i quickly came to the sad realization that i feel the exact same way this unknown girl feels.

with school, work, family drama, self-issues, and just everyday struggles, i hardly ever make room for happiness in my day. i have this beautiful illusion that someday it will just find its way to me, and then i will truly be happy. this, however, is not even close to true. happiness is not something that just falls from the skies. no, some gorgeous, loving, and sweet, man isn't going to just come and sweep you off of your feet, either. we need to set aside time for happiness. it's odd to think about that way, but it's true. we need time for happiness in our lives, each and every day we live and breathe. we put ourselves through so much, every. single. day. we climb mountains that seem endless, and steep beyond measure. we absolutely have to set aside time for some happiness in each day. maybe it's only for a few minutes one day, and maybe some days your entire day is nothing but pure happiness. either way, you can say that you've lived every day with happiness. how sad would it be, ten years down the road, to look back and remember yourself as a depressed and lonely person who was barely making it through the days. as cliche as it sounds, the present time we are living in is so valuable. we're never going to get it back. we can't waste it on things like depression, anger, stress, worry, sadness, or loneliness. everyone deserves happiness. but not everybody makes time for it. cutting some time out of your hectic schedule- to allow yourself to be filled with happiness- will not destroy your life, or cause you to fail that big huge test you have tomorrow. (though much too often it may feel that way.)  
happiness is not merely an option. it is a need that we all ache for every day, as humans.

you're worth so much more than the anchors that tie you down to the world. l o o s e n your grip on anger and sadness, and let the warmth of happiness take over your soul, if only for a moment.

so go, and make time. do what makes you happy. go sit under the tree, and gaze in awe at the beauty of the earth. go watch your favorite movie with a sea of blankets and pillows. go dance to your favorite song just because you can. go for a walk by yourself and think about how blessed you really are. go make something beautiful out of something simple. go eat some ice cream because you're worth the extra calories. go talk to your best friend about whatever, just to remind yourself how much you love them. go and put a big smile on your face because you know that you're worth it.

you're worth so much more than everything you're going through, & you deserve to be happy.