One of my favorite “old” country bands (Alabama) once sang, “I’m in a hurry to get things done, I rush and rush 'til life’s no fun/All I gotta do is live and die, I’m in a hurry and don’t know why.”
As I sit near the shore of the lakes of south-eastern Missouri, my mind cannot help but keep racing, “I have too many more years of school left, I’ll never be able to do what I want to do, my chances to grow up are passing me by.” I want to grow up so bad and do everything that I want, that I’m not giving myself to experience the good things of being in my early twenties.
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In my short 20 years, my life has been affected by everything military. Two weeks after my sixth birthday, 19 terrorists hijacked four aircrafts and the date, 9/11, took on an entirely new significance.
Since then, I’ve done research on everything involving war, the military, terrorism and anything I needed to join as soon as I could. (The American Revolution, the Civil War, both of the World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Operation Desert Storm and in the millennium, the War on Terror.) I learned how to shoot, how to live outdoors and how to be a good leader. I researched my family history and realized that my family had a long tradition of serving, all the way back to the Revolution.
For much of my life, I have been preparing for the dream of finally wearing the flag of my country on my right shoulder and being given the opportunity of defending everything I care about. Now that I’m in college, and seeing that some friends have already joined the military or are now in the process, I want to just drop school and rush off to the nearest recruiter.
Perhaps one of the reasons I want to grow up so quickly is that all I can think about being in my 20s are the stereotypes of drinking, partying. getting drunk or high, and randomly hooking up with some stranger. I mean, hey, it works for some people, but it’s just not my cup of tea.
To be honest, and some can probably testify to this, I’m not a big drinker. I’ve seen what it does to people and I’ve seen what it does to me, and I don’t like being foggy-minded. Drugs are the same story. Now, granted I’ve only smoked three cigars in my life, but I’ve seen what it does to people and I just do not think it would be a good experience (hey, I could be wrong).
Partying intoxicated is not fun either, and I was completely wasted when it happened. I laughed at inappropriate times, I got sick, I was a bit of an asshole (if I remember correctly) and I made a situation with a friend worse. Oh, and finally, the random hook-ups.
Perhaps I’m old-fashioned, but I really hate the idea of hooking up with someone you just met or don’t really care about. Now, I’m not preaching abstinence—it’s your life, do what you want. But, if it’s me, it should be done with someone you really care about, someone that you’re willing to commit to. Or else the whole idea of sex loses its significance; its intimacy. Without that, you just use people to satisfy yourself, and, at least in my mind, that isn’t what it’s about.
Growing up is not a bad thing. Hell, one day we’re all going to wake up old. I want y’all to relax, enjoy your days in your 20s. They’re days that you won’t recover; so live every day to its fullest. I usually dismiss memes but I found one that I think everyone needs to hear: “Life is too short to worry about stupid things. Have fun. Fall in love. Drink some whiskey. Listen to country music. Regret nothing and don’t let people bring you down.”
God bless you, and wish for nothing but the best.
