Aries

Aries is an unusual dragon, in that he embodies the warm nostalgia one feels about past events that they know they'll never experience again.

Specifically for me, this is a very important emotion that I struggle with every day. It makes me happy, but it also pulls at my heart in a way that is indescribable. I do appreciate my past experiences, and those that shaped them. My memories are very important to me, and I cherish them more than anyone could understand.

When I saw this dragon, I saw the pink, pure happiness that I felt in the moment. When I went to Los Angeles with my high school band, and I experienced that warm, ocean-washed environment in a different way than I ever had before. We walked along the Santa Monica Pier, feeling the salty breeze in our hair and on our cheeks. We ate a funnel cake and ice cream for supper, laughing and watching the seagulls trying to steal people's food. We took tours of different film studios, getting to see the trailer for Spider Man: Homecoming before anyone else in the world. We saw the set of some movies I don't remember, and some shows like Jeopardy and The Wheel of Fortune. We ran around Disneyland, riding every ride we could in the time we had. The sun set, and we took another ride on California Screamin'. We laughed endlessly at the pictures that were taken. We followed one of our directors through the massive crowds at the dusk parade as he held a red Kylo Ren lightsabre above his head. We saw the fireworks from behind the Matterhorn, in awe of it all.

The orange flowers on the other hand represent all of those people that fill my memories with a sort of bright melancholy that I can't explain. Admiring someone to the point that I still try to be like him even though I haven't seen him in years now. Remembering my friends that I just sort of stopped talking to for one reason or another, or even those that I fought with, and that's how our friendships ended. They hurt, both scenarios, but in very different ways. I'll never see L again, at least I don't think I will, and he will never know just how much he influenced me in bettering myself. I still want to be as amazing as I thought he was all of those years ago. I still aspire to be like him, to inspire those around me in the ways he inspired me. And then there's people who I cared for so deeply that I ignored their flaws, and it ended up destroying me in the end. Having my rose colored glasses taken off to reveal a person that I didn't know. Someone I had to get away from, that hurt me more than I could ever imagine.

I see my current friends that I love with all of my heart. K, whose bright eyes and pure heart light up the room she's in. Her feisty energy that bleeds through her soul at all times, letting everyone around her know what she's about. M, whose quiet demeanor masks a thoughtful young man who tries his hardest to be the best version of himself. His blunt honesty is refreshing compared to most of society's obsession with hiding. His passion for music and his confidence in himself, even if it is somewhat misplaced at times.

That's why this dragon is so important. I saw all of this when I looked at him. And I cherish that. It's important to remember why you love those who support you. The honest truth is you never know how long you have with somebody. Some things don't last forever, but that doesn't mean they can't. Cherishing what you have in the moment is the best ways to preserve the things you love. If you become riddled with worry and fear, you can't live in the moment. The present is what's the most important, no matter what. It's alright to cherish your past, to be excited for your future. But it's not healthy to ruminate, regret, or to fixate, catastrophize.

The moment is now. Now for me is different from now for you. I may be in February of 2021, but where are you? June? July? Maybe 2022? What about 2024? What are you grateful for, right now? Don't think about who I am. I'm your past. Think about you right now. Seriously go write down 4 things you cherish about right now. Every time you look at this bio, I need you to write them down. You know where; the brown flower journal.