It’s about time we live each day with gratitude

Madison Geering, Editor-in-Chief|February 14, 2021

By watching the movie “About Time,” Madison Geering was able to learn what it means to live each day with gratitude. (Madison Geering)

If you know me, you know that I am severely addicted to romantic comedies (rom-coms, for short). The good, the bad, the outright cheesy — I love them all. 

Most of the time, when people talk about rom-coms they believe they are somewhat entertaining but not very substantive. They are just cinematic enough to keep you watching but not to imprint a life lesson.

Well, I believe that to be false.

One of the greatest lessons I have learned from a movie was from the shameless romantic comedy About Time, a film following a young, redheaded, British man who discovers he can time travel through his own life. Of course, he uses his ability to find love despite his awkward, fumbling disposition. Although he eventually finds love, he also has an important realization about life.

A realization that has reverberated in my mind since the credits rolled up the screen.

After finding love, having children and achieving contentment, the main character doesn’t feel that he needs to time travel anymore; there’s nothing in his life that he would change. But, through his time-traveling adventures, he developed what one might call a “life hack.”

Everyday he lived as if he had travelled from the future to relive that day, savoring every moment and taking every opportunity to spread happiness. 

It was so simple: try to enjoy every day as if it was the last. But it had never really occurred to me that I should.

After watching that movie, I have made it a priority to experience my days as if I had time traveled back to relive them. If someone does something kind, I express my gratitude. If I’m outside, I take a moment to drink in the sunset. If I find myself overwhelmed by stress, I reassure myself that no amount of negativity is permanent.

Life goes on.

This past year has shown all of us just how unexpected life can be. Two years ago, I could have never predicted that we would be living through a pandemic. There is so much about life before lockdown that I took for granted. 

Living every day purposefully can help us practice gratitude and truly appreciate the world as we are living in it.

The main character of About Time puts it best when he says, “We’re all traveling through time, together, everyday of our lives. All we can do is do our best to relish this remarkable life.”