how to fall back in love with your life

the daily taryn - dec 3rd

I have a tattoo. Just one, and he’s a little guy on the inside of my right wrist. It says “Mom:Dad” in my mom’s handwriting because it’s how my parents sign all their cards and gifts and letters to me. I love it. I never thought I’d get one, because every tattoo I thought I’d wanted, I’ve looked back and cringed at the possibility of it being on my body. Like — an anchor? Some random bible verse in hebrew (which I don’t know)? A circle that I just thought would take meaning as I got older? Ugh. I love mine because I thought about it for years before I got it, and I’m so proud to have my parents stamp on me.

The other day, I saw something on my wrist and literally freaked out — thought it was a bug or a smudge or something not meant to be there. I FORGOT I HAD A TATTOO. This thing that I toiled over for literal years, then got it permanently etched into my skin in a very high-trafficked area (idk what this means but you get it it’s like your wrists are just always right there you know). I had completely forgot it existed, and when I realized it wasn’t an intruder, I look at it again like it was the first time I saw it.

For a thing I love so much, it’s WILD how much I forget it’s there. And if I can just… forget? about a tattoo that is visible to me every second of every day, I wonder what else I’m doing that to? What else I’ve subconsciously filed as not exciting or not worth noticing or too ordinary to drool over like I used to.

People think that being in love with a person or a job or a thing is something that just happens and keeps happening with ease. That when it clicks, it sticks — no questions asked. Which, yes, it can and does and that’s certainly part of it. But to keep it alive requires so much. Esther Perel says “Love is a verb, not a permanent state of enthusiasm.” Falling back in love with your life—from the little things to the big— takes so much activity and focus and commitment and intrigue. So much curiosity and gratitude and playfulness.

Yes, I’m talking about a tattoo. But I’m also talking about everything.

My house. My dads jokes. My shoes that have traveled across the world and back with me. My Thursday that I did nothing to earn but I got it. Every hour of it. Mine.

What have I seen so much of that I’ve let it lose it’s magic?

Your life is never stale. It’s never boring. And if it is, that’s on you sis. Things get familiar and comfy or sometimes even forgotten but you have everything you need in your cute little head to find it’s magic all over again.

I hope you fall back in love with a few things today.

Thanks for reading as always. Happy December - how the fuck did we get here???

Talk soon.

Your friend,

Taryn

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