… Did I ever tell you about the best date I ever went on?
We met after work, at my favourite French restaurant. We chatted so intensely for so long that the waitress grew impatient with our inability to focus on deciding what to order. I think it took an hour for us to finally order – more decadent shellfish than two people could conceivably eat. We agreed that it was the most delicious food on the planet – and agreed on many other things too. Including the decision that, even after finishing this overabundance of seafood, we should walk downtown in search of doughnuts.
We continued our chat of all things deep and shallow for a mile downtown to The Doughnut Plant, then walked east to sit in Madison Square Park to watch the giant, neon-lights colour-changing globe thing. We sat for hours, sharing earbuds and listening to each other’s music. As the clock inched towards midnight, we decided to part ways and walked to the subway we both needed.
Do you know what happened afterwards?
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
A few emails, some lame attempts to meet again, and then nothing. That was a month ago. And do you know what I regret?
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
To tell you the truth, I can’t even remember the name of the boy I spent this amazing evening with. I can faintly remember what he looked like. But I spent that evening living to the fullest, not caring about where I was going or what I was doing or whether I’d ever see Mike…or was it Matt? Or maybe Max?…ever again.
I don’t know what that evening was supposed to teach me, if anything. My seafood threshold? Where to get the best doughnuts in Chelsea?
Or something greater? That life isn’t meant to be spent looking to the future, but in the here and now. To enjoy what you have without worrying about keeping (or losing) it. Don’t be afraid to take risks. Don’t be afraid to open yourself up. Don’t save anything for a rainy day. The future is a guarantee to no one.
So make the most of every moment, and you’ll make marvelous memories.
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