Give this a go
Picture four people and one night sky. The first person is scared of the depths of the darkness, but the second adores long, starlit strolls. Three and four are similar, too, in that their opinions are seasonal. Three loves a winter night when they have to build their own sun to keep warm, while three loves those sleepy sun evenings on the brink of summer with the BBQ smoke lingering in the air. There is even a fifth person who finds comfort in the rainy nights placed behind a window pane of a dimly lit room. You might be reading this thinking, 'That's me,' or you might relate to none of these and have your own favourite way to enjoy the night, but it is most important to note that none of these ways are wrong. We all have things we enjoy in sometimes specific ways, and a lot of the time, we cannot be moved on the way of our doings. As somebody on the spectrum, I understand the comfort of structure and familiarity. I understand finding something glorious and wanting to repeat it until the world ends, but I am discovering the importance of stretching my state lines.
We build expectations based on experience. Take food as a prime example. You may be convinced that you despise apples, but did you know there are other seven thousand types of apples? And we can bake them, roast them, grill them, and somebody somewhere probably does something crazy like ages it for ten years on Mars, and that apple could be your new favourite food. We are all creatures of habit, and some of us are more accustomed to being explorative with our palettes, and some of us seek discovery to stay alive, but others cocoon themselves in their comforts with no intention of ever leaving. It matters not which side of the coin you land on; we should all be open to trying things we have convinced ourselves we wouldn't enjoy because what if we're here once? Why not try as much of life as possible?
In no way am I saying that you don't know yourself or that you need to change; I'm just saying, what if? Every seven years, we shed our skin, and what if every seven years, a part within us becomes anew? What if, during this slow-motion shedding, there's a slow shift within us or our taste buds expand, or what if we can see the beauty beyond the fear of a night sky. Something you hate can become something you love, and it never even sends you the memo. There is often little consequence for the act of trying. Just remember, you can start small. I know they say dive into the deep end, but if you don't like carrots, maybe try one carrot, not a whole bundle. If you're afraid of the night, don't run wildly into a graveyard at 3 a.m., but find a balcony, garden, or some controlled environment and attempt to see something you haven't seen before. If you have never enjoyed a romance movie, but a friend's favorite movie is a romance movie, then what is there to lose other than a couple hours?
Trying things for friends and family is another layer; presenting yourself open is always the best approach. All of those little niggles in our brain are not exclusive to us. The anxiety that pitches a tent in the center of our chests is known by most. Yes, that bitch is famous. And too many know the taste of the thick smoke from its campfires. Its best friend is loneliness, and it sets up camp right next to it. I am making this analogy because going somewhere a friend loves can send that campsite packing. Can extinguish the fire. Company is a better healer than we give it credit for and maybe more than it gives itself.
We constantly evolve, and what if we are missing out on our favourite everything? I'm not saying you need to change or have to change; I'm just saying we should all be open to giving things the chance to change us. There is so much going on in this world and no matter how hard we try we will never experience all of it before we are gone but, there is a new store opening in some town near you and there is a new movie coming soon and you should go and check them out. If we end up only being here just this once then let's take as much of this world with us as possible. Let’s make as many memories as we can.
