The Beautiful YOLO

The world is an enormous place. People try their hardest to visit the world and see every beautiful place there is. But what matters most to me is the memories that you make at that place than the actual place you're at.

This summer, my family went to the beautiful state of Colorado. My Colorado adventure with my family will forever be my favorite memory of my Colorado trip because of the pure joy in every one. This trip made me realize the real reason of “You Only Live Once”.

My family and I drove up to the Rocky Mountain National Park. As we drove up the mountain we saw beautiful falling waterfalls, towering emerald colored trees, and peaceful deer laying in their homes.

As we were driving to the peak there were patches of snow on the side of the road about the size of a pond. Being born in California and being raised in Texas we've never had the chance to actually feel the coldness of the snow, and the feeling of a snow in our hands. Once my family saw a big patch of snow, my little sister Ellie and I begged my dad to pull over so we could experience the snow. We walked and see the snow in our sandals, shorts, and tank tops. We were cold but it was breathtaking.

I remember trying to run on the snow and falling on my butt just like a baby horse. Ellie started laughing her head off then she lost her balance and also fell to the ground! My whole family looked at the both of us and started cracking up. Once my sister and I got up, I thought of something I always wanted to do! A snowball fight!

I bent down slowly trying my hardest not to fall and I grabbed as much snow as my tiny hands could hold. I made it into a ball the best I could and searched for my first victim. I saw my mom's back turned laughing with my grandma. I knew this would be the perfect time to fire in begin the war. I pulled my arm back and threw it right at her! She turned to me and gave me the death stare.

In that stare, I knew it was game on! As she bent down my dad was already behind her starting his wind up to throw a snowball right at me! At that moment I knew I was in trouble. My dad through the snowball right at my back as I turned away. While our little war was going on, it felt like there was no worries in the world, that time had stopped, and there was only us on the earth having the time of our lives.

In those little moments I got a sneak peek of what heaven is like. It was a pure joy- a shared happiness. Everything is about perfect in that time together, absolutely perfect. I couldn't ask for a better time with my family.

As our little battle was coming to an end, I realized how much I didn't want to leave. But I knew the memory would be with me forever.

So what does “You Only Live Once” meant to me? To me it means to cherish the moments that are big and small. Whether it being feeling snow for the first time, to having a snowball fight. Because one day all you'll have are the memories in you. Those memories nobody can ever take away from you.

#GabbysJourney