When I look back on my 21 years on earth, I always feel guilty about the moments I didn’t seize. During my high school career, I never really stopped to “smell the roses." I'm still young, and I have a lot of growing up to do, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s to snatch every moment.

While it may seem depressing and sad, moments aren’t forever, so enjoy them. Life isn’t something we have much control over. You’d be surprised by how many things you stress out about, that you can’t really control. So instead of getting annoyed about the scratch on your car, enjoy having a car and your life right now as it is. Sure, the scratch is maddening, but you can’t control it! You can, however, control how it affects you. Think about it, life would be much more enjoyable if everyone didn't let such small things bother him or her.

One of the ways to master life is to master yourself. You need to realize that while you may be able to control some things, much of life is unpredictable. Once you master your reactions the world is a much better place. Trust me, I’ve tried it, and it works.

So, appreciate every moment and don’t let small things bring you down. I promise a year from now all your small problems won’t matter, but the bigger moments surrounding them will. Experience the family dinners, and ignore your sibling's annoying comments. Before you know it, you’ll miss sitting with them.

Take each day as it is and control only what you can. Life is here for us to enjoy, so keep smiling and love the people who make smiling a little easier.