Hello and happy 2017, all! The year of 2016 had its ups and downs (more downs than ups if you ask me), but it's still another year behind us. Time, although it's a concept and made up entirely by the human race (conspiracy theory?) seems to go by so fast. When I think of 2007, I feel as if it was only a few years ago, but it was 10 years ago. That's so crazy to me and I'm sure it's that way for most of you. Some of us may want time to stand still because life is treating you well right now, some of you may want to rewind and live in the past, and some may want to fast-forward a few years when things will all fall into place, or so you think.
I'll admit that I'm one of those people who longs to fast-forward a few years when I'll be done with college, have a job, be on my own, and have everything be perfect. The thing is that nothing is guaranteed: you can have expectations, hopes, and dreams, but life isn't all peaches and cream. We assume our futures are going to be full of positive experiences and it most likely will be true, but we also have to account for the negative experiences life throws our way. Just because I'm not completely enthused with my way of life right now, doesn't mean that hoping for the future is going to make it better. The problem with the majority of people is that they live their life in the past, or future, and we lose track of the present. Once the present is over, we look back and wish we were enjoying those times because those truly were the "good times".
What I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't wish your life away. A few of my friends have told me exactly this and it's about time I start listening to them. It's ok that I'm almost 20 years old and I'm trying to figure out my life because I have all the time I need. I have high hopes for the future and it's time for me to start having high hopes for the present. As a wise fictional character, Ferris Bueller, once said, "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once and a while, you could miss it." Go out there and live.
