May 22, 2018

I’ve always been a dreamer and I have high hopes for the future. As kids, we await the day of becoming a teenager. In elementary school, my favourite TV show was Wizards of Waverly Place. I would watch every new episode the second it came out and I absolutely adored Selena Gomez’s character, Alex. She was spontaneous and lively. I was shy and anxious. I thought maybe when I became a teenager, I would be like Alex. But here I am. Same shy, anxious me. I’m a teenager, and now I’m counting down the days until I graduate. How ridiculous is that?

You see, time is a gift. We can’t take it for granted. If you are a young kid, cherish the time you have before it ends. Cherish that ice cream that you got from the ice cream truck. It may be your last. Man, I don’t even remember the last time the ice cream truck drove by my house. That music used to be the most amazing sound to my ears. I guess I thought it would last forever.

If you are a teenager, cherish the time you have before it ends. Have fun with your friends and be spontaneous. I’m still working on this. I’ve found that high school has created these walls around me. I’m trapped in my own thoughts and the voices in my head get so loud, it’s overwhelming. I’ve closed myself off from the world around me. It’s hard.

If you are an adult, cherish the time you have before it ends. Your little kids will grow up. One day, it’s their first day of kindergarten and they’re holding on to your hand so tight and then you see the smile on their face when you pick them up at the end of the day as they show you a painting they made in class. You hang it up on the fridge. Then, all of a sudden, they’re graduating from high school, and you will no longer receive assignments to hang on the fridge. Your child will leave you, and move on to the next chapter of their life. Maybe, one day, they’ll be getting married and preparing to start their own family.

You have a second chance. Their children will make you paintings for the fridge. A cycle. But your cycle will end one day. Time is a gift.

I’ve shared this video before on my blog, but it’s a favourite, so here it is again.