Whenever my siblings and I would say, "Oh, I wish it would be winter break already" or "I can't wait until we go overseas next summer," my mother would urge us not to rush time. And I would always roll my eyes at her, because come on, when you're excited for something, its hard not to look forward to or talk about it every day! But still, my mother would repeat the same thing over and over to us: "Don't rush time."

I remember starting this summer vacation, and feeling incredibly frustrated. I wanted to find something to do with all of the time I had, and I just couldn't. There was a huge span of days, weeks, months in front of me, and I simply did not want to spend them doing nothing. And now, I'm packing up my bags and moving back to school, because classes start next Wednesday. Three and a half months, gone in the blink of the eye.

It took me a while, but I think I understand what my mother had been saying to us all those years: time is short to begin with, and its getting shorter with each passing day. We look forward to the so-called "exciting" moments in our lives, but by focusing on those specific moments, we often forget to live every other "normal" day to the fullest as well.

And in the end, I've had an amazing summer. I volunteered at the animal shelter and with special needs children, and the moments I spent with each group has rendered me a more knowledgable and experienced individual than I was before. I traveled to D.C. for an ADS Retreat, where I learned, grew, met new friends, and made more memories with old ones. I flew across the country to California, and visited the West Coast for the first time. I drove on the turnpike alone (little victories, little victories...)! I visited friends and family, spent time with my parents, stayed home alone with my siblings (and what a week that was!), read books, and sat down to write these articles each and every week. I fully and thoroughly enjoyed my summer. And just like that, its over.

Life has its stages. Sometimes we get to relax and have fun, and sometimes we need to work hard. But each of these days is precious and valuable in and of itself. Because we are lucky to be able to wake up every morning, to have another chance to make our lives worthwhile and meaningful. Life shouldn't be taken in "I can't waits," but rather in "Today, I'm going tos."

When it comes down to it, life is too short to wait for. Instead, we should take on each day as another chance, gift, and opportunity. And each one of those chances, gifts, and opportunities should be relished, cherished, and lived to its fullest.

Because just like that, they too shall pass. We'll grow up, and we'll wonder what happened to those days, those days that we spent hoping to be anywhere but here.

Those days where we simply forgot to live.