I cherish the moments of my life when I am able to just be.

The feeling of content, happiness, peace, wonder and so many other emotions all mixed together in one blissful harmony.

These are the parts of life that make me feel most alive. They have changed my perspective on the world and all of the indescribable experiences it offers. They are one of the reasons I love to travel.

Lake Tahoe, California has a special place in my heart. I have gone a handful of times but I don’t believe I’ll ever get enough.

I have family living out there and one of my cousins has a boat that, when its not broken, we are able to take out onto the water. One clear night he took my brother and I right out into the middle of the lake. All the light pollution back home had kept me from seeing the stars so clearly before. I didn’t mind that it was absolutely freezing because I could see the Milky Way and so much more.

I sat there and just stared up into a sky that made me feel so small and insignificant. In that moment I was certainly not gracing anyone or anything with my presence, it was me that was lucky to be there.

Having these experiences doesn’t always require hopping on a plane and leaving home. Where we come from offers just as many beautiful opportunities.

I remember one random snow day when I was little. I felt like I was on top of the world while simultaneously being buried in snow. Lying flat on my back, encased in a foot of white happiness that had fallen in my front yard, I began blindly noticing all of my senses. I heard the gentle impact of each snow flake hitting the ground, the smell of winter (yes, snow has a smell), and the freezing cold air which didn’t feel so bad because the snow pushing up against my thick snow clothes was oddly cozy.

I have loved snow since that day.

The Earth, and all the nature we are lucky enough to live alongside, is breathtaking. At the risk of sounding cliché, I may never find the words to explain how I am feeling in the moments that I am able to just exist in. All I can do is smile and be filled with gratitude.

These experiences remind me of how much I have to be thankful for, in the simple fact that I am living on such a beautiful planet. The wonders of the universe and all it encompasses have changed my perspective on not taking things for granted by gifting me with the opportunity to see its raw beauty.

I hope that EVERYONE can experience a moment, just as I have, where they finally see all we that have to LOSE before its too late.