K.L. Kranes

I’m a a sucker for a good angsty, teen TV show. I loved the original Beverly Hills 90210. (I realize how much that statement dates me.) I loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Roswell, Gilmore Girls, Dawson’s Creek, the O.C., and, yes, One Tree Hill, potentially one of the most underrated teen dramas ever, in my opinion.

The Shakespeare, Steinbeck and Wordsworth-quoting story of a basketball player raised by a single mother could sometimes be ridiculous. (I’m talking about you, episode where Dan’s heart for his transplant is eaten by a dog.) But, it was also about the poetic soul of a budding writer. It employed lyrical voice overs and quoted a plethora of insightful authors. It also featured music that I love. (Here Comes a Regular by the Replacements is one of my favorite songs of all time.) This show was made for me, I think.

The show could also be strikingly poignant and thought-provoking. In fact, there is a quote that has stuck with me.

Sometimes happiness doesn’t come from money, or fame, or power. Sometimes happiness comes from good friends and family, and from the quiet nobility of leading a good life. -One Tree Hill

In our current world of greed and hostility, where people just want more and more and care about each other less and less, I think it’s even more meaningful than it was over 7 years ago. It reminds me not to focus on longing for the unnecessary. I need to take a look around and appreciate all the things that I have. I need to appreciate the beauty in a simple life lived well.

That’s what I did today.

I spent the day with my family just being a family. We wandered around a town near where we live (the Mosaic),

tried on silly hats,

learned something profound from store windows,

learned something profound from graffiti,

hung out with some holiday-themed shrubbery,

ate sugary desserts,

hung out, smiled and enjoyed each other’s company,

We also….. played with our adorable dog,

…watched Buffy reruns (I think I’ve created a Buffy monster in my daughter), had dinner with my parents, and laughed a lot at how traumatized my daughter was by my husband’s new haircut.

And I made sure not to rush through any of it. I took the time to silently wonder at my life and be thankful for it in a rare moment where I wasn’t just worried about what would come tomorrow.

I believe life is made up of a series of stories. But, not every story needs to be exciting. There is beauty and true fulfillment in the simple things we do every day. You just need to take notice. Today I noticed. Tomorrow, I’ll notice again. And, hopefully, I’ll continue to notice every day going forward.