Most children want to stay up until the late hours of the night to play around and watch TV, but as you get older you cannot wait to take a nap—or go to sleep in general. Parents tell their children to grow up and act like adults when they are in their teens, but whenever children attempt to act like adults, they get told to stop and behave like the children they are. While this approach is not the best, maybe our parents are right when they suggest we ought to slow down and be comfortable where we are at. Moments pass by us that we will never have the pleasure of seeing because we are too busy growing up and not paying attention to the things around us. We, as a society, have become obsessed with growing up and moving out that we miss the beauty of God's creation. Students are so busy they stay up all night doing homework rather than taking a moment to appreciate life. People are so obsessed with perfection that they miss things like the beauty of a sunrise or a starry night outside. Too often we miss the opportunity of learning to love ourselves. As a society we have lost an appreciation to take life slowly and appreciate nature. Everything has become so fast-paced that we miss so much. We lose ourselves.
A frightening thought—almost as frightening as death—is that one day you will be on your deathbed and think back on your life, and be filled with regret over not seeing that sunrise, or spending quality time with the people you love. Regret is one of the most painful and powerful emotions in the world, as well as one of the scariest. Regret is one of those things that can have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life. So, if I could hop into the Tardis and go back in my past to give myself a letter of advice—so I would not disrupt the time stream—I would advise myself to slow down and enjoy life. To let go and let live because we only get one life to live. Just imagine all of the opportunities you may have passed by without knowing because you were so focused on growing up and getting on with your life. Not that you should dwell on those thoughts, but it would be a good exercise to think about all of the things you have missed so that you will do your best not to miss them again.
Go out and enjoy life. Don't disregard your responsibilities, but find time to enjoy yourself every now and again. Don't be as obsessed with your grades or how you look, because there is a God who created you with perfection in mind. Look at Job 10:11 if you need any further evidence. Call to Him like David does in Psalms 51 and ask Him to "Create in me a clean heart... and renew a right spirit within me." Keep the faith that there is always a God who loves you more than any human could on this earth. Trust in Him and His grace and take a leap of faith to see where He leads you. "Don't let your past dictate who you are, but let it be part of who you will become" (My Big Fat Greek Wedding). Allow your past to become an experience that shapes your future, and eventually, who you will become. Strive towards your own happiness and if you're ever up at midnight wondering why you are alive, always remember that there is an Almighty God who stands by your side and loves you with a love more powerful than death. Slow down and learn to love who you are. Love who you will become. Love those who love you and even if they don't, take time to learn how to love them back. The world might even become a better place because you just took the time to appreciate the simple beauty of nature and express Jesus' love to those who might have never experienced love. Who knows, it may even be an amazing beginning to something you never knew was out there.
