Recently I was asked what’s important to me. And to be honest, I don’t think I’ve really thought about what’s important to me in a while.

Immediately, I expected a million of things to come to my mind. “Family, friends, relationships, love, happiness, school, my grades, a job, future career, my weight, my body image, my reputation.”

And, I thought the list would go on forever.

But, you see there were only two things that came to my mind: My family and happiness

I think society makes you believe that there are so many things that should be important to you. We are taught that life is so complicated and that so many of these materialistic things matter. I’m not saying that life isn’t complicated, because it is. But, I believe that at the end of each day life is simple. You see, no matter how many complicated things are going on in your life or how many things might seem important to a particular day or a particular moment, you only really need a few things in life.

For me, I need my family and I need happiness.

I’ve grown up in such a big family, and ever since I can remember my family has meant the world to me. Maybe it’s the fact that at a young age, I saw my parents open up their doors to my aunt or maybe it’s the fact that my siblings have always been my best friends. I know some people aren’t as lucky and they don’t share quite a special bond with their family. That’s ok.

Over the years, I’ve learned that family goes a lot farther than blood. To my friends and anyone who has had an impact on my life, you are my family and you will always hold a special place in my heart. And to my future family, I can’t help but to smile when I think of you; thank you for giving me more than everything.

At the end of each day, my family will have my back and they will give me the wings to fly.

I’ve done a lot of thinking about happiness in the last few years, and I think I came to the conclusion that happiness is the most important thing in my life. But, as I’ve wrote about before, I don’t exactly have a “normal” definition of happiness. Happiness does not mean that you have a perfect life and it does not mean that you don’t cry, because ironically…I’m crying as I’m writing this. I’m crying because I’m happy.

You should know, that I didn’t walk around all day with a smile on my face. In fact, I spent eight hours of my day at a job I don’t necessarily like. And, I spent a lot of time complaining.

It was not a “perfect” summer day because life is not perfect; life is far from perfect.

But in this imperfect day, I found happiness in the laughs I shared with my sister. I found happiness in the music I listened to. I found happiness in the fresh air from outside. I found happiness in the voice of my dad. I found happiness in the sunset over the lake. I found happiness within the people in my life. I found happiness in my own tears.

Some days, we might have to search a little harder to find happiness and that’s okay.

As long as I can find one reason to smile at the end of the day, I’m a pretty happy girl.

This life that we’re living in is a beautiful mess.