Cliches are sneaky little bastards
Cliches are sneaky little bastards. When you're young you dismiss them. When you get old you realize they're true in that deep felt sense kind of way. Cliches are cliches because they try to convey in words what is un-conveyable.
Examples:
Everybody has a cross to bear. Be kind"
Sure the young man says being nice is good. But have you listened to a wonderful man tell you that his girlfriend broke up with him because he broke down crying after a health scare. He never showed his emotions in the past. It wasn’t thought of as manly in his culture. Now here he is being punished for making that mistake. Now, every time he gets close to a woman he freezes. Have you put aside your own definitions of manliness and matched his vulnerability by saying "I cry all the time too." And even though it feels uncomfortable for reasons you can't understand you give him an awkward hug and say you can cry in front of me if you want.
"it's better to have loved than lost."
ah sure you say in your youth. But have you felt the deep profound physical pain of grief. Grief that seems to take advantage of you whenever it wants with no warning. With no sense of decorum or timing. Grief so deep that you're convinced like those old commercials that you've fallen spiritually and won’t ever able to get up. And after all that... After feeling loss so deep and profound that life starts to take a tinge of absurd and your body seems to be physically tearing itself apart through random chest pains every day. STILL. You prefer to have loved. Because the love was so pure, beautiful, and joyful.
"It's the little things in life"
When you're young you don't have enough big things. You fast forward to get there. Then, finally you do the big things. You arrive. Or so you think. But then you wonder: what now? That's when your life starts. Have you felt the immeasurable joy at feeling the sun on your face and little pockets of sand between your toes? Or get those perfect 3 dance songs in a row and you decide to get away from your desk and take a couple minutes to dance?
Have you ever looked into someone's face after you make a bad joke and watch her face slowly crinkle into a smile?