Enjoy the Now

Some of my favorite memories are spent with my little sister playing dressup. We would raid mom’s room to find her old dresses that we could use. Putting on jewelry and heels, we would pretend anything our imaginations would let us. Looking back, I was always in a hurry to grow up. My mom warned me several times to appreciate where I was because I would want those days back. Regardless, I felt like the rest of my life could not come fast enough for me!
Fast forward to my freshman year and I am sitting in our high school gymnasium bleachers to watch graduation. As a freshman, I was sad to see our seniors leave but ready for my turn. I distinctly recall one of my senior friends telling me to treasure my time because it flies by. Like any teenager, I paid no attention to these words because I could not wait to grow up.
This type of mentality seems to be a common theme today. We are constantly trying to speed up time and move forward. For some reason, we are under the impression that growing up will be easier and all our troubles will go away. This is not necessarily the case. We need to find what we have in our lives to appreciate right now. This might look slightly different for everybody, but the common theme remains the same. Maybe this is having the opportunity to attend school, living with family or friends, or enjoying freedoms this country offers. Maybe these are smaller moments to treasure from each day — seeing the leaves change, having silverware and a meal, breathing clean air, or turning the radio up too loud for your favorite song. If we look hard enough, we can find plenty of moments to enjoy.
My own high school graduation still seems like a blur. I have a hard time believing that it was real and I am not in a dream. Now a college student, I occasionally find myself leaning towards the trap of wishing I was older: when I’m older, surely I’ll have better grades, more things figured out, and less stress. This is no way to be living life every day! Yes, certain changes take time, but they do not occur because of time itself passing. Stop, breathe. Look around. What special people, events, places, or experiences are in your life? When did you last take the time to remember these things? Regardless of whether you think you have everything figured out or you have no idea what your next move is — slow down. Appreciate the small moments in life and focus on living in the present. Enjoy the now.

“The trick is to enjoy life. Don’t wish away your days, waiting for better ones ahead.” — Marjorie Pay Hinckley