Now that 2024 is coming to an end, lately, I’ve begun to reminisce on the experiences of this past year. Some were well-deserved lessons, and some were core memories added to my life. But the one common factor within them all was how I rushed those experiences and didn’t quite live in the moment like I should have.
Beginning at a young age, I feel like the desire to hurry life is instilled in us. For example, when we are young, we constantly wish to be older; when we are older, we constantly wish to be young again. Even now I still do it. Because I am unable to do certain things due to my age, sometimes I want to rush life, but when doing that, I feel regret because who knows if I’ll even make it to an older age.
In that same breath that we yearn for the future, we lose track of what’s going on in the moment regarding what’s right in front of us. And when we finally realize what has happened, it is too late, and the cycle continues.
Take me for example. My whole life I’ve constantly dreamed and wished about going to college but now that it has finally come true, it doesn’t feel exactly like I thought it to be. Of course, it’s a blessing to be here, but also realizing the maturity and growth that it came with was a shocker. Due to this feeling, sometimes I wish that I had truly cherished and enjoyed my senior year of high school more. Although some parts of it were stressful, the freedom, the spontaneous outings with friends, basketball games, prom, and more, were all experiences I find myself looking back on, wishing to relive those moments at least one more time.
Another issue that I find my generation struggling with at times is how we try so hard to impress others by recording and taking pictures of what we’re doing. In that same instant, we tend to forget to embrace the now. Of course, we want things to look perfect for Instagram, especially if it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event, but sometimes I question whether we are really enjoying ourselves.
I hate that many of us feel that if we don’t capture something on our phones it didn’t happen, and sadly that shouldn’t be the case. We should be able to enjoy our vacations, concerts, birthdays, etc., without seeking validation from other people. What’s better? Having a bunch of memories on your camera roll or a few photos while still being able to both enjoy yourself and the little details that we often overlook.
Looking at life through our camera lenses is one thing, but I’d rather live mine by seeing things through my own eyes.