“Just realizing those small moments of being grateful, that’s really helped me to center myself and be calm even in tough situations.”
Adam
Bright Lights/Young Lives is a special project within our Grateful Voices video series which aims to uplift the personal stories and reflections of young people, aged 16 – 30 years old. The series is made up of short-form documentaries featuring young adults from a variety of backgrounds talking about what it means for them to live gratefully, how they embody this commitment, how gratefulness was awakened in them, and why they believe it matters and can make a difference in our world. The intention of these stories is to demonstrate the reality and relevance of Grateful Living across a diverse, inclusive continuum, and to share the insights, grateful perspectives, and rich sense of possibility that so many young people hold. In this short video, we hear from Adam Rudisil.
Video Transcript
Gratefulness has taught me about myself, to live in the moment and appreciate the small things in life, and to really appreciate those small moments that you have in everyday life, and really cherish those tiny little moments. Maybe you’re just getting on the subway, taking a walk, you see somebody smiling at the park on your walk. It just really makes you appreciate the moment and really appreciate your life and everything around you, even though something may not be going right in your life. Or you might be in a tough situation. Just realizing those small moments of being grateful, that’s really helped me to center myself and be calm even in tough situations.
My name’s Adam Rudisil. I am 20 years old. I’m almost 21. I’m from Chester County, Pennsylvania, a small town called Parkesburg, PA. Not many people have heard of it, but it’s a cool little town. Right now I’m a full-time student at Temple University. I’m about to enter my junior year. I’m a music performance major and I play this stuff right here. [points to drums] I play drums and I’m studying classical percussion.
I am grateful!
How would I define gratefulness? I would define it as being appreciative or appreciativeness That’s a word, I looked it up. The moments that are tough make you appreciate the moments that are not so tough. A grateful approach to life has definitely impacted me because it’s made me — I keep going back to this — but it’s made me live in the moment instead of thinking about the next gig or the next thing I have to practice. It kind of just brings you back to the moment and you just have to enjoy yourself sometimes. Because even though the moment might suck, and things might not be going your way, you just kind of have to sit there and be like, this is how it’s gonna be, and I’ve got to revel in the fact that this is my life and I’m gonna figure it out. Even though it might be a bad situation.
I definitely try not to take for granted the things that we really don’t think about sometimes. Like, I have four limbs. I walked here, I rode here on my bike. I had the opportunity to hop on the train. I played music today. I was playing drums today. Things that I do every day that you don’t even think about. I had two good meals today. I’m going to go home and have dinner. It’s just those things that you never think about in daily life that you just have to take time to realize.
Bright Lights/Young Lives has been executed in honor/memory of the extraordinary life of Julia Burke, who lived her passion for life out loud. Funding for the series came from The Julia Burke Foundation. The videos were produced by Greg Corbin and edited by Brandon Holiday. The Grateful Living Team oversaw the project with grateful hearts.
Visit Grateful Voices to see more stories about living gratefully.
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