The year is 2015 and it seems like there is no slowing down. Cars are racing towards destinations, employees running to meetings and the Starbucks drive-thru seems to be getting longer and longer. But have you ever stopped to think that there is more to life than a busy schedule? There are many answers for the meaning of life but what if it’s definition is bigger than we think. I know as a college student I spend most of my days studying for upcoming exams, but in the end is that test going to define me? The answer is no. Yes, it is important to do well in school, but it is also important to have had the chance to experience life. I remember reading this poster that said,” You can always make a paycheck but you can’t always make a memory.” The majority of people today work hard in creating a strong foundation, which is fantastic, but when was the last time you took a spontaneous trip with your friends to a restaurant? Or what about having soda spill out of your nose from a terrible joke? Memories like these are priceless, yet they increase in value as we get older. I remember back in high school I used to tell myself that it would take forever to get to college because I was only 17. That “forever” happened faster than I thought. It was like I closed my eyes and my life sped up to graduation. From there, I watched some of my best friends move on to the next chapter of their life. If you don’t believe me, we are all blessed with the opportunity to experience something so precious. Yet, how many memories will come out of your life time? There are exactly 1,440 minutes in a full day which means there are 1,440 minutes to create a memory. Call up your best friend and ask them to come with you to a restaurant without any distractions. Take a random trip to a gas station and get a slurpee or even take a minute to call your mom and tell her you love her.

I remember one day after school I was laying on the couch listening to "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles. While listening to the song, it seemed like time had slowed down for just a brief moment. I remember thinking back to my grandfather holding me and telling me that life is beautiful and no one can change it. From there, it switched to my friends and I laying on the floor laughing at funny videos we found on the internet. The song then changed to "In My Life" by The Beatles (yes, I love them), and I thought back to my favorite family vacation. When my reminiscing was over, it seemed like a life time had gone by but it was only 10 minutes. They say that life flashes before your eyes one more time before you die…wouldn’t you want to see every precious memory one last time? It is really simple if you think about it. Memories cost nothing but time. Time is valuable, yes, but it is also something that doesn’t come around often. Put down the computers and put down the cell phones just to slow down but remember that life is worth more than a paycheck.