A tribute to the little things in life

We run. We run through life like we are chasing something that'll be lost the minute we stop running. And somehow along the way, that's all we have conditioned ourselves to do. Take a second to appreciate something? Well, who's got time for that! And that leaves us void, cold and wondering why all that running hasn't satisfied us already.  

Here's why. Because it's not the running that'll make us happy; it's the forgotten little things along the way that will – the little things that we have become too busy to notice. 

Take Dhaka for example. Yes, that same busy city that we constantly complain about. Look at it from any of the skyscrapers that “spoil” the view. It's so breathtakingly beautiful. All the haphazard buildings seem like little colourful paper models and when all the lights are on at night, it seems like the stars have come down to the city itself. That's especially funny because our polluted sky hardly has stars.  So, next time you want to watch the stars, just look below from a skyscraper at night. 

Speaking of Dhaka, isn't it amazing when the roads that are usually full of traffic congestion are empty and you can reach your destination faster than you expected? We always whine when the traffic is extreme, but never the other way round. And when you are stuck in traffic (the absolute inevitable), and suddenly your favourite song magically comes up on the radio, it does brighten your day a little, doesn't it?  

With the expensive rent and then transport, at the end of the month almost all your hard-earned money is gone! So when you find a few notes crumpled up in your long-forgotten jacket or trousers, your day just gets better, especially if there is a sale in your favourite store. What's better than getting the thing that you wanted but at only half the price? Here's what – not having to use your money at all! That's right. We all know how satisfying it is when your friend treats you. Good free food! What's not to like? 

Speaking of food, isn't it incredible when your fridge is stacked with food you actually like eating, and not a bunch of weird tasting vegetables and frozen fish? Yes, opening the fridge door and finding your favourite food is worth celebrating, especially when those midnight cravings kick in. 

And then there are libraries with their wondrous aura. Maybe it's the silence or maybe it's the rows of neatly arranged books in tall wooden shelves or maybe it's just the fact that the place holds more knowledge than you will ever know. And if you don't like reading, there are always cat videos on YouTube to keep you occupied. See, YouTube will never run out of things for you to watch, and that is remarkable. 

Life is made of moments. When we only see things but never truly learn to appreciate anything, we lose out. We lose out on life itself and all we're left with is a wistful wish to be happy. We don't even know where to look for it, because it's actually right there – in the little everyday things that we do. So, as I lay curled up on my bed on the 24th floor of the building with my laptop and a huge cup of coffee and a bar of chocolate, distractedly popping bubble wrap, I'm glad I'm happy. 

By Adiba Mahbub Proma