The Simple Joys

A Stephen Colbert quote has been on my mind lately. In a recent interview with GQ about his upcoming “Late Show” run, the iconic comedian talked at one point about how he made it through the loss of his father and two brothers at the age of 10. One quote in particular was so simple, yet so profound. 

“At every moment, we are volunteers,” Colbert told the reporter. 

It was a lengthy article, but I read this quote over and over and then wrote it down. It got me thinking that for all the time we spend complaining and wallowing in self-pity, we could instead find joy in experiencing simpler lifestyles. 

This week, I was reminded of someone who lived this kind of lifestyle, and whom I had the pleasure of knowing, if only for a short time. 

About a year ago, I met a bright and energetic former Cary High student and fellow member of the Muscular Dystrophy Association named Chris. A friend of a friend, Chris wanted to talk with me about college life for a disabled person. We talked, had lunch, and in that short amount of time, I learned more about him than I do about most people during the span of months or even years. 

Over the course of those couple hours we spent at the mall, I saw a spirit in him which I rarely come across. He had a youthful, carefree spirit and a love for life that was evident in everything he did. With his mop of red hair and ability to crack jokes at every turn, his friends often called him Ron Weasley. 

Chris was also a member of the North Carolina Electric Wheelchair Hockey Association, an organization which I used to participate in as well. He played for the Carolina Fury for several years, soaking in every moment he had on the court.

Unfortunately, Chris’ life was cut short this week. Just a few months after graduating high school, Chris suffered a tragic death that resulted from complications with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and he is greatly missed by friends and family all over. 

While he is gone, and though I only knew him briefly, his life was nonetheless an example of how we should live. Contrary to the workaholic values exhibited by our modern Western society, Chris lived a life of simplistic joy. He didn’t need to fill up every last minute of his schedule with busybody activities, but rather was content with his friends and family, going to school and hockey, among other things. 

Just a few weeks into the semester, and my inbox is already filled with messages about internships, part-time jobs, scholarship opportunities and all manner of other deadline-driven reminders. It’s as if rest and free time are the only things we can’t fit into our schedules. 

Going back to that Colbert quote, it brings to light an important truth which we often ignore, or for whatever reason we refute. We like to blame our hectic lifestyles on external factors outside our control. We hide behind the false notion that our culture demands that we make stress a daily component of our lives, when in reality, it’s entirely our choice. 

If there’s anything Chris taught me in the short time that I knew him, it’s that we can choose joy. We are not bound by corporate America or by anyone who tries to force us to conform to complicated lifestyles. In the 18 years Chris spent on this Earth, he chose simplicity, and what an impact he left behind as a result.