In the midst of all that is ugly in our world, it is worth slowing down for long enough to reflect on the good things in life. Have you ever noticed the sweet smell that lingers after a spring rain? Or the enchanting way light reflects off water as it tickles your soul? The way sunlight scatters on the horizon, during dusk and dawn, has the power to soothe the most restless spirit. Or when driving to school in the mornings, have you ever taken time to notice the warmth of fog as it lightly blankets the earth and the sparkling dew as it shimmers on the blades of grass?

All it takes is a moment to embrace all our world has to offer. The things you can observe on a daily basis and those images that dance in our heads from times past are of equal note. The joy of a winter snowfall and the excitement of making snow angels helps each of us to recall a time before we faced finals and bills, much less protests and war. Equally jubilating is a baby’s smile and the contagiousness of a child’s excitement about the most seemingly insignificant things … that drawing they made at school today just for you and the light in their eyes as they share their world.

Each of us has the power to change another’s day. A simple passing nod coupled with a heartwarming smile seem inconsequential, but they’re not. The compliment of an unassuming stranger always brightens the day, if not the week. Holding the door open for those behind you is important because the little things are the most meaningful.

Often, we are so wrapped up in our own world that we don’t realize how to enjoy the world around us … all that it is and was. Remembering the times laughing around the campfire, singing and roasting marshmallows, while gazing at the moonlight as it shown through the trees. Or the majesty of a mountain landscape as your breath was swept away just trying to take it all in. Rejoicing in the inspiration of a newborn greeting life for the very first time will bring a smile to even the gloomiest face.

The world offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy this life just a little bit more. Tears of joy, warm embraces and sharing your heart with another are among the most beautiful moments of which we can be a part. In addition to this, I implore you never to forget the gentle power of those three little words, “I love you.”

So the next time you feel as if you need a pick-me-up, reflect on a few of these things. In the seemingly endless “gotta do this, gotta go here, can’t forget to turn that in,” slow down and enjoy life a bit. It’s not a race to the finish, and unless we take the time really to consider and reflect on all this life has to offer, it will pass us by. At the end of the day, no matter how our lives turn out, these small things make it all worthwhile.

Peter Ragusa is a student at Louisiana State University.