privilege of being carefree

welcome to introspection ft. harsehaj! ⭐️ i’m harsehaj, a 19 y/o always up to something in social good x tech.

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onto today’s topic: privilege of being carefree 🛝 

the moments when i feel the most privileged is when i am unabashedly carefree. when i’m living without the weight of stress or responsibility on my shoulders, i become overwhelmed with gratitude for my privilege in being able to do so.

the world continues to spin and my lofty ambitions persist in shining brilliantly, but when i’m able to just pause and exist without the urge to “do something” looming over me, i feel grateful for the serenity i’ve achieved.

today, on the tea farm i’m interning at in shizuoka, japan, we were given a half-day out of the blue and took the opportunity to go on a walk, get snacks and just hang out by the river. in this quiet countryside of fujieda city, i didn’t feel pressured by any hustle and bustle, nor did i feel the need to keep my head down and rush over to the next destination. i was free to breathe in deeply and wander endlessly. ✨ 

we stopped to point at pretty views, and prettier flowers, until we finally made it to the family mart convenience store. there’s a child-like thrill you get when you stare in awe at endless rows of snacks with adult money clutched in your hands. i got the the most random assortment of snacks without a worry for the price, and it’s a privilege i’m so grateful that i can enjoy.

for just $15, i got icecream, chips, candy, pizza pockets, pastries, cheesecake, toothpaste (?), cheese strings, smoothies and some more. i was ecstatic. 😁 we brought all of our snacks over to the riverside and spent the next 2 hours soaking in the sunlight, without a single care in the world.

with my kindle open, stomach full with ice cream, the sound of the music playing from my headphones mixed with the rushing water from the river, perfectly warm sunlight and not a single person passing through our little area, i was carefree. 🎐 

sachi said, “this is the closest i’ve ever felt to what life was like in elementary school,” and i can’t help my resounding agreement. we had no stress in the world and barely any responsibility then. now, we definitely do, but being able to enjoy these moments when they seem nonexistent is a great privilege that i’m thankful for.

if i could spend all of my days with sunlight, friends, snacks and a book, i would. (:

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