The weird thing is now I’m exactly where I want to be. I’ve got my dream job at Cornell, and I’m still just thinking about my old pals. Only now they’re the ones I made here. I wish there was a way to know you’re in “the good old days” before you’ve actually left them. Someone should write a song about that.

I’m not completely certain how I first stumbled across The Office on NBC way back in 2005 or so, but I am certain about at least two things regarding this TV show. First, at the time, I had no idea about the original British series on which it was based. In fact, to this day, I haven’t caught a single episode of the original BBC program. I know! I know! It’s in my Netflix queue.

Second, I’m sure glad I did stumble across the Scranton branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. I’d argue that The Office is on almost the same tier of cultural significance as Friends and Seinfeld. And that’s saying a lot, as I adore Friends and Seinfeld dearly.

The character of Andy Bernard, played by Ed Helms who would later go on to star in The Hangover movie franchise, doesn’t actually appear in The Office until the show’s third season. I’ll also admit that I wasn’t exactly a big fan of “the Nard Dog” initially, but Andy Bernard is the kind of endearing character that grows on you. And then he drops these tender little nuggets of wisdom.

The quote above was taken from The Office series finale after nine seasons on the air. During that time, we got to know the likes of Michael Scott, Dwight Schrute, Jim Halpert, Pam Beesly, Kelly Kapoor, Stanley Hudson, Oscar Martinez and Andy Bernard too. We were able to peer into their regular, everyday lives and derive a sense of enjoyment every Thursday night for half an hour.

While you’re in the midst of cubicle life or whatever other life you may be leading, the monotony can be draining. You can also get too caught up in your daily frustrations about taxes and relationships and career advancement. Far too often, we fail to recognize the magnificent in the mundane until it’s already too late. It’s far too easy to forget that the little things, like sipping on some coffee while watching the world pass by, are the big things.

We spend so much time chasing the carrot and indulging in the “I’ll be happy when” mindset that we end up missing the point entirely. Life is a song, so take a page out of Andy Bernard’s playbook and break out acapella style every now and then. Go ahead and make a fool of yourself if it makes you feel good. Be true to yourself now and always. Be fully present.

Realize that the “good old days” are right now. They’re yesterday and today and tomorrow. You just have to take the time to recognize it.