Let go and rock out, every day

By Joanne Santomauro

"Rock out like the mangoes are in season." This line from the poem "Direct Orders" by Anis Mojgani has become my mantra. It is a proverb I tell myself as I kick the covers off in the morning and rub the sleep out of my eyes. The premise of Mojgani's piece is to live every day to its fullest, to seize every moment and to "Rock out" in that moment's existence.

We spend too much time being upset about little things, like rain, grades and faulty wireless internet connections (admittedly, I'm still harboring a small grudge toward CISCO for all those times I needed the web and it let me down). These everyday mishaps can be frustrating and unwelcome, but why do we invest our energy into cursing fate, others and ourselves because of them?

Life is a fantastic and wonderful blessing. This may seem like the part where the cynics and pessimists roll their eyes and scoff, but give me a moment. This is not to say that the issues of the world are trivial; that there aren't thousands of problems that deserve our attention and concern - there are. But if we are going to be upset, let us be upset about the things that tug at our heartstrings, that make us ache from the inside out; the things that make us want to change what we do in the world.

I am by no means a prime example of this; the other week you could have found me in the library, complaining about my midterms and workload. But through surviving all the work and personal problems that have come my way this year, I am learning, slowly, how to look for the silver lining in all the small ways.

As for the little things? I am realizing that stress, anger and negativity are usually feelings that are chosen. I am busy this quarter, but I am not stressed, because I choose not to be. Often we fail to realize how easily a fresh attitude can make a radical difference in our everyday lives.

I would like to do better on my midterms, but I am thankful I have the opportunity to be challenged academically. I wish it hadn't rained the other day, but nothing made me happier than splashing in the puddles with my rain boots. I wish the internet worked more consistently, but I cherish those moments of perfect silence, when the urge to check Facebook or e-mail disappears and I'm left in peace.

Mojgani's piece continues, "Rock out like you never have to open a textbook again/Rock out like you're playing football in the mud and your washing machine isn't broken." It is all about the little things, and at the same time, it isn't at all. Life is short, life is long; whatever you may hear, think or believe, life is life - it's living. There are too many small, wonderful moments to let the small, ugly moments take over.

So, what are you waiting for? Rock out.