“We all need and deserve to be loved.”
Juan Aretos, a lover of sharing moments and creating memories, strums his guitar as he contemplates the importance of a life filled with love. “We’re not robots,” he says, indicating that what humans need most in this world is understanding, friendship, support, and especially love. Juan clarifies that the love doesn’t necessarily need to be romantic—platonic and familial love are equally valuable.
When he reflects on the people who shun love from their lives or fail to spread love, he notices that they aren’t as happy as those who embrace love with open arms. For this reason, Juan strives to fill his life with love and likewise, contribute freely to the flow of love within the world.
Sometimes, Juan has questioned whether he’s been living a meaningful life: “I believe I am living a good life—a good childhood, a good family, good health. . . Meaningful? I don’t know.”
His guitar echoes as he considers it further, gently running a guitar pick across the strings. Eventually, he reasons that he does live a meaningful life. “I think I can bring something to the world or to someone.” Perhaps that something is love.
Juan doesn’t have any particular regrets in life. “I am who I am because of what I did, and I like who I am right now.” Although he wouldn’t change anything about his past, he does look forward to the future.
In his ideal life, Juan is doing what he truly wants to do — “being a pilot, flying in the skies, and surfing the clouds.” He’d probably live in Europe, traveling with someone—with a girl he loves—and being happy. He admits that his idea of an ideal life isn’t set in stone: “It might change—you never know what can happen.” But as of now, he hopes to soar the skies, adventure with a beloved, and continue to live life to the fullest.
The guitar continues to ring. “Music is like my therapy,” he notes when pondering the activities that fulfill him. “Whenever I’m down, those 15-20 minutes that I play my guitar—they’re just different. They transport me into a peaceful moment.” And this feeling extends to the experience of listening to music as well.
Beyond this, Juan finds value in traveling. “It changes how you see the world and opens your mind. It’s good to be open-minded—to learn from other cultures and traditions, to respect them.” Part of the reason Juan hopes to be a pilot is to achieve more opportunity to see the world, interact across cultures, and receive an eagle eye’s view of our universe.
Juan also finds value in spending time with friends and family. The time he sees his family is especially important to him. “I haven’t been living in my native country for three years, and I do miss my family, of course.” Though his family lives in Mexico, Juan has been living in Europe (mostly Madrid) for the past several years. The rare moments he now shares with his family provide him with a sense of peace.
He concludes, “It’s an amazing feeling to be with my loved ones and people.”
About Juan
Aviation geek, amateur musician, and travel lover. A guy that likes to meet people, understand languages, and learn from other cultures. Skeptical man but a believer of positive vibes. A lover of pubs and cafes, sharing moments, and creating memories with people. Just another apprentice of life.
Between the Lines 