Believe

I believe in keeping secrets and in telling mine. I believe in inside jokes with close friends. I believe in nights spent alone with your thoughts. I believe in making people laugh at your own expense. I believe in the color blue, and I believe in the flavor cherry. I believe that drugs are bad, but that a cold beer is heaven. I believe that regrets are worthless and that there is always a lesson to be learned. I believe in making mistakes. I believe in forgiveness and in adapting to change. I believe in remembering to breathe. I believe in taking nothing for granted. I believe in loving your life and finding beauty in the small things. I believe that everything will work out.

I believe that slow traffic should keep right. I believe in polite road rage. I believe in the yield sign. I believe in driving with one hand, in using the backseat as a trash can, and in using the trunk as Frisbee storage. I believe in lowering the windows and turning the heat on. I believe in putting your feet on the dash.

I believe wholeheartedly that God exists and that he moves among us every day. I believe that he knows my name, and I believe that he knows yours. I believe you can see him in the way the leaves fall, in the way the smell of lavender covers the walkways on campus. I believe you can see him in the smile of those you care most about, and you can hear him in their laughter. I believe you can see him in yellow roses with orange tips. I believe you can see him in the sunset, in the clouds, and in the stars. I believe you can see him in dinosaur tracks and in a palm-tree comforter. You can taste him in a turkey sandwich on white with mayonnaise and pepper jack, in a piece of string cheese, or in a can of coke.

I believe in one true love and in love at first sight. I believe in deep connections. I believe in giving of yourself for the sake of another. I believe in being happy forever. I believe that love should be easy and that it shouldn’t be forced. I believe in innocence and naiveté and will always trumpet their virtues. I believe in making love, not having sex. I believe in kissing people like you mean it, and I believe that a good kiss can be better than anything you have ever imagined or experienced. I believe in running my fingers through her hair, holding her hand, and kissing her forehead. I believe in very little make-up. I believe in the way her hair smells. I believe in pet names, in public displays of affection, in tickle fights, and in gentle teasing.

I believe in the overwhelming power of music. I believe in an iPod on shuffle. I believe in love songs, and I believe in songs about heartbreak. I believe in Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Copeland, and Coheed. I believe in bands that cry on stage. I believe in singing at the top of your lungs. I believe in tapping on everything, to every song, everywhere. I believe that Meg White is a no-talent hack. I believe in mix tapes and blank CDs. I believe in guy-girl harmony, and I believe in rock bands with keys and strings. I believe that Stephen Jenkins is a golden god.

I believe in the written word. I believe in poetry, song lyrics, and fiction. I believe in feeling infinite, living forever, and being invincible. I believe in feeling another’s pain. I believe in sharing another’s joy. I believe in the cathartic power of the final installment of a trilogy, and I believe that sometimes, the remake is better than the original.