As the end of the night approaches on December 27th, I draw nearer to my 19th birthday. It’s strange how fast life starts to move. Just a year ago, I had no idea where I was going to go to college or what I would study, and now I’m already an eighth of the way through Gordon College as a Comm Arts major. So with my last few hours as an 18 year old, I thought I’d take some time to reflect.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been anxious to grow up. My mom likes to say that I was born fifty years old. I never liked baby-talk, I didn’t like it when people were loud, and I was never a huge fan of big parties. I’ve spent my whole life thus far just trying to get to the next chapter. When I was little, I couldn’t wait for the freedom that being a teenager would bring. The second I turned 13, I quickly realized that what I really wanted was just to be in high school. However, once freshman year rolled around, I started looking at colleges and planning that portion of my life. It didn’t hit me until this year, this “next chapter”, that looking toward the next big thing, and waiting for a milestone to change my life, will never make me happy. In order for life to evolve in a way that is both healthy and will make me happy, I need to learn to appreciate where I am, and live my life a little more like a (soon-to-be) 19-year-old. For me, that means not worrying about what my career will be in three-plus years, but instead working toward goals that I have now, like building connections and learning as much as I can with the opportunities I come across.

I’ve also learned to appreciate those that are in my life now. Too often, I have thought about what else is to come for me, without thinking at all about the people that have blessed me. Most of my senior year, I focused on college. For those of you that have already experienced your senior year in high school, I’m sure you can understand that once applications are in by January, there’s practically nothing to worry about until April, as there isn’t anything else you can really do to affect what a school’s response will be. But alas, I spent all winter and a good part of spring worrying about whether or not life would follow my command, while forgetting to appreciate my friends and family.

My eighteenth year taught me that life won’t wait for you to become appreciative. It won't slow down, it won’t be easy on you, but you will be blessed sometimes, and if your mindset is anything like mine has been, you’ll miss it. So don’t forget to raise your head and take a look around at all that you have to be thankful for here and now.