spoken from the heart: Changes

When you are 18 years old you may not think you know everything but you think you can control how everything turns out, you think you get it and you just need to get out of the parents house to be on your own and have the capability of making your own decisions without mom or dad grounding you or telling you no. You think the boy or girl you are with is who you are going to spend the rest of your life with and so much that you picture yourselves together on your wedding day, when you have kids, when your kids have kids and when you grow old together. You do stupid things because you have no clue how that ONE decision is going to affect the rest of your life. This is right about the time you are graduating from high school. Most kid’s first big life goal they accomplish. So much changes at this point in your life that you can barely take it in. You are so overwhelmed with all the responsibilities that are coming your way. Moving away to college; so exciting but kinda scary and a little sad all at the same time while leaving friends that you have been with for anywhere from 4-12 years behind. You don't even realize all of these things are happening till you look back. Life only moves faster from there. Before you know it so much has changed, you have changed, your feelings have changed, the way you view life and think about things has changed and you can’t even understand how it happened or when it happened. Days go by one at a time and sometimes it seems like they are all the same but after a period of time you look back and realize that so much is different. People always say enjoy life and take it in while you can but because that is said so much I don’t think people really think about that statement. Things and people can be taken away from you at ANY given second and that’s life. There is nothing you can do to change or stop the inevitable. So enjoy and REALLY take in the times you have with the people you have in your life RIGHT NOW. Stop being sad about the past and stop worrying about the future because while you’re thinking about what has already happened and what might happen life is happening right now and the only thing you can control is how you spend that time.

I turn 21 in less than 4 months and looking back on the last few years, I realize how much has truly changed. How much I have changed. The people who have come and gone in my life. The amazing friends I have met along my college journey. Two of my best friends that I have known forever are pregnant and one has a kid. The girl who I call my big sister, just got married. My other best friend is engaged. Life is moving so fast, sometimes I think I need to take a little more time each week to sit down and really appreciate the life I have. Sure, bad things have happened along the way. I've made my mistakes. People who I thought I would forever have apart of my life are no longer there. But that's life and those things are part of the reason I am who I am today. I don't regret a thing.