Let Life Hit You in the Face (With a Straw)

A Lesson I Learned in Letting Go, Courtesy of My Girlfriend and a Straw Wrapper

One of the many things we all have in common is that we’ll meet our end one day.

It’s out of our control, yet it’s the ultimate truth…and its terrifying.

I am in no way diminishing how devastating of an event it is. There is no greater sadness then the loss of life.

But I think there’s a lot we can learn from it.

Life is deep and beautiful—but it’s also fleeting. And if that’s true, then why do we waste so much time sweating the small stuff?

One of the people who has helped me see this most clearly is my girlfriend, Danielle.

She has an infectious approach to life. She loves to laugh at silly jokes, play little pranks, and giggle at stupid shit like we’re two kids on a playground together.

Over time, I’ve come to realize that it’s one of my favorite things about her.

I have a tendency to take life more seriously than I probably need to—my default mode is anxious, overthinking, taking the little things far too seriously. She balances me out.

It takes conscious effort for me to step back and just be.

Writing helps.

So does nature, space, and many of the things I’ve talked about here on Soul Mana.

Looking Up to Look Within

Anytime I find myself outside on a clear night, I throw my head back as far as it’ll go, taking in every twinkle of light I can.

Shoutout Apple. I took this picture on my balcony just now…turned out pretty good!

It’s a daily, constant reminder of how small I am, how no one will ever stand in this exact spot and see the stars quite like I do, and yet, how deeply meaningful that is.

In the grand scheme of things, most of my worries are insignificant. And somehow, that thought doesn’t scare me. It frees me.

But more than anything, she helps.

She reminds me—because I forget all the time—that most things in life just aren’t that serious.

A perfect example? Every single time we go to a restaurant—whether it’s the nicest place in town or a local diner—she pulls off the top half of the paper on her straw, turns it around, and blows it right in my face.

Every. Single. Time.

I used to sigh or roll my eyes. Now? I just shake my head and laugh, because I get it.

Life’s too short not to enjoy the little things.

It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day stresses of life. But the happiest people seem to have figured something out: most of it doesn’t matter as much as we think it does.

I was reminded of this again recently while listening to Modern Wisdom. In the episode, none other than Matthew McConaughey shares something he tells himself whenever he starts feeling anxious. In his iconic, alright, alright, alright voice:

"You’re going to die one day, McConaughey."

Somehow, that simple sentence shifts everything into perspective. It reminds me that life will throw far harder challenges my way than whatever trivial worry has me caught up in the moment.

It’s been helping me—not just this week, but time and time again—not to lose focus on what really matters

Japanese writer, Haruki Murakami put it another way:

“Death is not the opposite of life, but a part of it.”

Get Hit in the Face, and Laugh

Death brings some of the hardest, most defining moments of our lives—the passing of a parent, a grandparent, a child. It’s the ultimate shared tragedy.

But it’s also the greatest reminder to live while we can.

So maybe the point isn’t to avoid thinking about death. Maybe the point is to let it remind us—gently, consistently—that most things aren’t worth stressing over.

That laughter, love, a night sky full of stars, and a well-aimed straw wrapper in the face might just be what actually matters.

With love,

Brady