Our parents and grandparents will always tell us they had it worse growing up--an uphill climb both directions; dinners consisting of bread, water, and undesirable portions of animals; chores up the wazoo; the list goes on.

Ironically, I'm not here to complain about my childhood or how the next generation has it easy. None of that "when I was your age" nonsense today. Writing this article, I am a week away from being 25, a quarter-century, halfway to the big 5 0.

Without further ado, a short reflection on my feelings toward this matter.

I suppose the greatest thing about recognizing this milestone is that I've made it this far. Not all of our family members, friends, peers, or other acquaintances can say the same. This is something I believe deserves to be acknowledged. With diseases both physiological and mental, sometimes being healthy and, for lack of a better way to put it, alive, is a feat itself.

I'm not suggesting death waits just around the corner or that 2018 is rebooting the bubonic plague along with Tomb Raider and Roseanne, but taking a moment to be thankful to be of sound body and mind can't hurt.

Success. What is it? How is it obtained? These aren't questions I can't answer for you. Mostly because I'm not entirely sure how to answer them for myself. The most simple response, at least in regards to my own thoughts, is that success is happiness and people to share that happiness with. I want to live comfortably, have a family, and leave a better world than I found.

That may be different than you, my trusty reader may desire. And that's okay. My own views on success could change in the next five years anyway. Life changes, so why wouldn't our thoughts regarding it?

Suffice to say, my childhood is behind me. I wrote a week ago on nostalgia and its appeal, but today I only mention the fact that adulthood creeps in almost unexpectedly. I won't say that the transition from schooling to working is seamless, but it really isn't anything major. Sure, the ramifications of you missing a day of work versus that 8 a.m. lecture are a bit more severe, but, all in all, it's not that different.

We become more like our parents — and their parents — every day. Think back to your youth for a moment, how they would come home from work, eat, and watch tv or clean or take care of bills or any number of adulting tasks then go to bed. Sound familiar? No? It will. Trust me. It will.

I suppose I am done rambling for today. If you took anything from this article, I hope it is that life should be cherished and that there is always something to look forward to. Whether that's your significant other's chili bean surprise that evening or a trip to Disney seven years from now with your non-existent kids, there will always be something exciting to set your sights on.

Hold on to those moments and let them pull you ahead. Never give up on your dreams and never let anyone tell you that you are incapable of achieving them. You may be your own worst enemy, yes, but you are your own best companion as well.