There is a strange amount of pressure in being a person. We are expected to have plans, know where we are going, understand what we want, and preferably have some sort of five-year plan to prove we are doing it correctly. We are expected to answer emails, pay bills, remember appointments, maintain relationships, make responsible decisions, and somehow stay pleasant while doing it all.
And then, every once in a while, someone has the audacity to ask, “So, what are you doing with your life?” Honestly? Sometimes we are just trying to make it through Tuesday. There is nothing wrong with having ambitions. There is nothing wrong with taking life seriously when it deserves to be taken seriously. But somewhere along the way, many of us forgot that seriousness and importance are not the same thing. Not everything deserves our anxiety, and not every little problem needs to become a major event.
Not every awkward conversation is a catastrophe. Not every mistake needs to become a lesson in personal failure. Not every unanswered message requires an investigation worthy of a government agency. Sometimes a bad day is simply a bad day. Sometimes you spill your coffee, forget why you walked into the room, or watch your carefully constructed plans fall apart because life apparently had other plans and did not bother sending you the memo. That is okay!
One thing we like about OOH is that it leaves room for things that don't fit neatly into a category. A curious object. A strange thought. A ridiculous conversation. A piece of jewelry that means something to you even if nobody else understands why. A little ritual you invented because it makes an ordinary Tuesday feel slightly less ordinary. These things may not solve the world's problems, but they can make the world feel a little more interesting. And perhaps that matters more than we realize.
Wonder does not have to be profound.
Sometimes wonder is finding an oddly shaped rock and deciding it deserves a place on your desk. Sometimes it is laughing at something completely stupid with someone you care about. Sometimes it is staying up too late talking about the universe, ghosts, breakfast, or why one particular song somehow hits differently at 1:17 in the morning. You do not need permission to enjoy those moments.
We spend a remarkable amount of time trying to appear like we have everything figured out. We don't. Nobody does. Some people are simply better at looking like they do. There is a certain freedom in admitting that you are still figuring things out. You can be responsible and still be ridiculous. You can be ambitious and still need a nap. You can care deeply about something and still laugh at yourself. Being kind does not mean being a pushover, and being serious when it matters does not mean becoming serious about everything. Growing as a person does not mean sanding away every strange, funny, imperfect part of yourself. Keep some of those parts. They might be the best parts. Maybe the secret is not learning how to control everything. Maybe it is learning what actually deserves your attention.
Spend more time with people who make you laugh. Notice the sunset. Make something with your hands. Put on the ridiculous shirt. Buy the weird little object. Tell someone you appreciate them. Take the long way home once in a while. Make something for no reason. Laugh when you probably shouldn't. And when life becomes overwhelming, remember that you are allowed to step back for a moment. The world will still be there. The bills will still be there. The emails will still be there. Unfortunately, the laundry will definitely still be there. But you will have given yourself a little space to breathe, and sometimes that is enough to make the next step possible.
You do not have to become a completely different person to have a better life. You do not have to have everything figured out, and you do not have to justify every little thing that makes you happy. Keep your curiosity. Keep your kindness. Keep your sense of humor. Keep a little room in your life for things that make absolutely no sense.
There is plenty of seriousness in the world already. We could probably use a little more wonder. And maybe, just maybe, a little more OOH.
The door is open. The flame is lit. Come on in!