When we're younger we love when time goes fast. We want to grow up (don't - it's a trap).
We're born. We begin to crawl and babble noises. All of a sudden we're running around untamed and won't shut up. "Why? Answer. Why? Answer. Why? Answer." Progressively, we then want to learn what this 'school' thing is all about. It's scary, but we're ready for it. We begin school and then elementary isn't good enough anymore. We don't want to be considered a kid anymore.
As boys you want to go to middle school and start playing actual competitive sports and grow some armpit hair. As girls you want to drop the dolls and replace them with cute boys.
Middle school sucks. Preteens are overrated. We want to go to the big leagues, high school. We want to fall in love, love. We want to learn mature subjects and drive real cars. Three years gone and now it's time for college. Hmm that went kinda fast.
Oh boy, college. I'm going to find myself and drink beer without mom figuring out. I'm my own person. I can do whatever I want. I'm going to get a sick ass tattoo of some Greek letters and NO ONE is going to stop me.
Wait, college just started. How am I done? What do I do now? Oh, right, it's time to be an adult. I'm going to get a job and cook my own damn food. I need a new place to stay, I don't need parents down my neck. I still like this beer thing.
Five year anniversary from high school invite comes. Don't care. I need to pay back my loans.
Five year anniversary from college. Holy shit, where did that gray hair just come from? Slow down. Please. Slow down.
Marriage. I do, forever. How long is forever?
Kids. Wait, wasn't I just one?
The cycle now starts with something that I just created. Stop. Stop. Stop.
So that was brief, much like life is. Time flew by before there was even a chance to live in the moment. As I began, when we're younger we love when time goes fast. We're constantly coming closer to our goals of finishing school, becoming accomplished beings and having new life experiences. When we get older we're just getting closer to death. Why did we lose our sight of accomplishment through time? Marriage and kids aren't an excuse. Sure, we should always put them first, but that doesn't mean we need to give up on ourselves. It's alright to be a little selfish, in the long run, they'll be glad that you were. Sleep is overrated. You'll be the inspiration they'll need later in life.
Just like when we were younger, we should constantly be reaching for our goals. Being 50 years old doesn't mean that the government is going to reject your company formation request. It means you should launch that great idea that's stuck with you for 20 years. There are no restrictions in life. We make them up.
In college I sat beside and was placed in a group with a woman that graduated the same day as her daughter. How awesome is that? Some felt indifferent, but I saw this unique experience as an amazing accomplishment. I sat beside a woman that was so much wiser than me. She'd throw me references and I'd be clueless. She had lived my life, probably twice (if you read this - first, you inspired me. Secondly, I sincerely apologize if my guess of your age is off. Read 'first' again if I offended you). She was married, had kids and went back to get her degree. She will forever be able to be a college graduate, even if that meant not being home to cook dinner one night.
We must see life as a linear narrative, not as a graph that flies up and slowly decreases until it bottoms out. We have such a short time on this beautiful earth. Think of two vacations ago. Doesn't that seem like yesterday? Were you worried then about stuff that didn't affect anything in the present day? Yes. Living in the present is a daily battle, but we HAVE to train ourselves to do so. If a four year degree seems out of reach, remember how fast high school went by. It's like that, but much faster. I began college, blinked and was walking across the stage with my diploma in my hands. It was over just like that.
The loss of accomplishment doesn't have to be an aspect of life. We can reach our goals at ANY time through this short lived experience. Don't restrict yourself. You're 67? Go to Walmart, buy that damn skateboard and rip it up, brah.
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