It's the Little Things

The past couple of weeks of my life have been horrible. I found out I needed to get an MRI on my left ankle (that I injured in AUGUST), sprained my right ankle, then had to hike 4 miles on it, moved out of my childhood home the day after Thanksgiving, and then everything hailed in comparison when one of my best friends died.

Jackson was a year younger than me but far wiser. Anytime I got to spend time with him, I felt like I had learned something. After he passed, I began to recall some of my favorite memories with him: silly text messages where he’d ask for advice on how to respond to a girl, gamedays where he’d always come find me in the stands just to say, “Hey,” and countless car rides to dining halls after Student Government meetings where I’d let him DJ and he’d play anything from Snoop Doog to Alicia Keys to Hozier to classical music.

What stuck out to me about all these memories was that there wasn’t anything crazy about them. They were all really mundane, human moments, made special because they were spent with him.

**Image Courtesy:** *https://qvotext.tumblr.com/post/627631635392757760*

I read a quote from Ritu Ghatourey: “The best portion of your life will be the small nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you,” and it couldn’t resonate with me more.

It’s the little things.

When I think back to my favorite days of college, one that stands out to me is from the Spring semester of my sophomore year. March 18, 2024, was a pretty eventful day. I started out by driving to campus (a feat I don’t often attempt) to be on a panel with two other students and three professors for high school seniors who had been admitted to UGA. I love speaking to prospective students about why I chose UGA and answering any questions they may have. I then went to my academic advising appointment, three classes and took a nap in the Law Library. On my walk back to my car, I ran into my friend, Alex, leaving her class and getting ready to walk home for the day. I begged to give her a ride home– it didn’t take much for her to agree. On the drive to her apartment, I spotted another of my friends, Matt and yelled out the window to him, asking if he was going home. He was and lived in the same apartment as Alex, so he jumped in my car and I drove him home too.

My favorite day of college has nothing to do with any of the classes I sat in, the panel I got to participate in, or even my academic advising appointment (though I’m very grateful for the classes I ended up in), it was simply getting to spend time with my friends while driving them home. I’m not sure why this day sticks out to me so much, but it does. It’s the little things.

Another example of this that comes to mind are the constant texts I receive from my dear friend, Caylin. I once told her that I’m not the biggest fan of fall, but I do really love it when trees turn yellow. Ever since, whenever she passes a yellow tree, she sends me a picture. It’s a kind tangible reminder that she is thinking of me, that she cares about me and that what I said once still matters to her. It’s the little things.

When I think about Jackson and his legacy, he was constantly showing people how much he cared. After I found out about his passing, I went and scrolled through all of our text messages and was blown away by how often he would check in, let me know he was thinking of me, or just say, “Hey” like he always would on gamedays. As tragic as losing him is, for me, it serves as a reminder of how fleeting life is.

There’s a quote from Glennon Doyle that a couple of my friends have shared with me, “Grief is love's souvenir. It's our proof that we once loved. Grief is the receipt we wave in the air that says to the world: Look! Love was once mine. I love well. Here is my proof that I paid the price.” I’m waving my receipt proudly. Every day, I am going to try to love more like Jackson did. I’m going to try to focus on the little things.

Strike Out,

Blake Witmer

Editor: Madelyn Launer

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