What makes me come alive?

Rainy days, the way they create a blanket of calm across the valley until lightning streaks above the earth and thunder breaks the sky apart.

Space, because it's uncharted territory, asking for us to one day uncover it's endless treasure trove of secrets, asking for us to marvel at its beauty, and weep at its paint splatter of stars, planets, and galaxies.

Discovery, when something that's been forgotten to the world is uncovered and revered once more after waiting patiently in the dark for years. When something new is found and looked at in awe by humanity.

Photography, that one moment when everything clicks into place, that one moment when the world around you grabs you by the shoulders and demands to be seen, that one moment when you snap the photo that people don't just see, but feel, and remember.

Stories, they way people can weave together epic tales of adventure, peril, and human emotion, tales that inspire future generations to create epic tales for themselves, and for others.

Animals, the way they can stay so pure and innocent no matter their form of survival, the way a hyena is not evil for killing a zebra, because morality is a human invention.

Music, the feeling in your chest you get when listening to your favorite song, the feeling in your chest when you see your favorite band, the feeling in your chest when you sing at the top of your lungs in the car with your best friends, the feeling in your chest when the rhythm and beat speak to your soul, not just to your ears.

What makes me come alive?

The melody of rain hitting the Earth.

The ever expanding vastness of space.

Discovering and rediscovering things that were once lost or unknown to the world.

Capturing a moment in life in a picture because words can't do it justice.

How a thought can turn into a classic tale that spans across time.

The innocence of an animal.

The feeling in your chest when your favorite song plays.

These are the things that mean everything to me.

These are the things that make me come alive.