Life is a very short and fragile thing. It can be taken away at the blink of an eye and it goes by far more quickly than desired. Every part of life is made up of moments. The moment you rode a bike for the first time, the moment you had your first kiss and the moment you experienced a loved one die for the first time. While some of the moments may be exciting and new, some can be heartbreaking. But I guess that’s life: a bunch of little moments made into something greater. When I was younger, I took many of these moments for granted. I did not realize the real value of life, sometimes I still don’t. But this past year, I realized that some moments are the ones I’ll remember forever.

After my initial realization, it became clear that I had experienced many memorable moments. The time I climbed a tree when I was five and pretended that I could not get down so my mother would come save me. All of the times my parents took me to Arnold Park. When my friends and I had tea parties with our American Girl dolls. When I moved to a new place and met my neighbor, who is still one of my closest friends. Broken bones and sprains. Nights sitting in the back of a truck discussing the future with old friends. Making dumb reckless decisions that I can laugh about now. My first love and first heartbreak. While, at the time, these memories were just random days, they are the ones I have remembered.

Now I find myself as a freshman in college with almost a full semester under my belt. I can’t help but reflect over the memories I have made here. Choosing Missouri Baptist back in March. Meeting my new team and growing closer to them. Going out to eat at 2 a.m. Ripping my spandex while trying to climb over the fence to practice on the field. Watching Christmas movies in October. Attempting to learn how to play sports. (Unsuccessfully I may add.) Getting a concussion in a ridiculous way. Totaling my car a week later. Successfully getting my back handspring. Making new and awesome friends. Getting involved with Greek life. All of these moments are shaping my life. While some may not be the best of times, they all make me who I am.

I now find myself saying out loud that whatever I’m doing at that time is “this is one of those moments.” I love the idea that I have a lifetime filled with memories that will matter. It gives me hope to keep going when life gets tough, because I have come to realize that the bad moments pass to make way for the good ones. While at this moment I am struggling to make it through a day, tomorrow will be different.