If you really want to know someone, ask what they can’t live without. Everyone has things that quietly shape who they are. These are my non-negotiable things that prove that I couldn’t last a day on a desert island.
1. God
First of all, I can’t physically live without my God. As a Christian from him I learned the definition of grace and unconditional love. I strongly urge everyone to get to know Him since everything in life I owe to Him. Trying to live without my God would be like trying to live without water. Utterly impossible.
“The Son of God became man to enable men to become sons of God,” C.S. Lewis.
2. My Parents
As an only child I have always been closer to my parents than some of my friends are to their parents. I am so thankful for their undying love and support. I am proud I have such a strong relationship with them.
3. Songs with meaning
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good beat with catchy lyrics, but songs that tell stories or have a meaning behind the beat will always be my favorite. Songs such as Moments by Emerson Drive immerse the listener in a new way of thinking that leaves the listener learning advice in a catchy tune.
4. Late Nights with a Good Book
There is nothing better than staying up till 2 a.m. to finish that last chapter. Reading about someone else’s problems instead of mine is a therapeutic escape.
5. Coffee
Everything from the smell of the coffee beans to the steaming cup itself just makes me want to be comfy under a blanket and watch re-runs of Gilmore Girls. The best type of coffee is when it’s so hot it will burn your tongue, especially in the early mornings of winter.
6. My Sister
They say blood runs thicker than water, which I suppose may be true with one notable exception, my sister Kaitlyn. As an only child I never had a big sister, so when I met Kaitlyn at seven years old, we became inseparable. Now she is twenty-three, and we are as close as true blood sisters could ever be.
7. St. Augustine
My family and I have been going to St. Augustine, Florida since I was just a baby. Since we go every year, it is like a second home to me. Everything about it, from the smell of the salty water to the tourist-y strolls through the “Oldest City,” makes me miss it when I am not there. Just about an hour’s drive from Jacksonville, Florida, St. Augustine is a place I highly recommend visiting if you’re ever nearby.
“For me, it was almost like winter didn’t count. Summer was what mattered. My whole life was measured in summers.” The Summer I turned Pretty
8. The Office
I was a kid when the show was still on, and my parents and I watched it all the time. Even though I never got any of the jokes, it was a staple in our home. The Office played such a prominent role in my childhood that, at just three years old, I named my Elf on the Shelf “Dwight” after a character from the show.
9. My Dog Rocky
My favorite birthday gift of all time came on my sixth birthday, when I was given a puppy I named Rocky. I’ve never met a dog with so much personality. Rocky is now a 10-year-old Yorkie who is as cuddly as can be—and who, because he loves to pee on everything, proudly wears diapers.
10. Hockey Games with my Dad
Every Dad has a sport, whether it’s football, basketball, or baseball- it’s in a Dad’s blood. My Dad, is from New York, so his “dad” sport is hockey. Eating pizza that tastes more like cardboard than anything actually edible and freezing from seats at the glass is a small price to pay when I am watching the puck drop with my favorite guy.
I may not actually be stranded on a deserted island, but if I were, this list proves I would be completely unprepared. Still, these are the things that make my days brighter, my nights a little cozier, and my life more special. I wouldn’t trade any of them, not even my dog in diapers.
