As the oxygen fills your lungs and they start to expand, the clock starts to tick. Ticking to the seconds of your life that will eventually turn into minutes, hours and years. You have just taken your first breath. You are now alive amongst the rest of us.

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of life can be defined one of the ways. The first way being "The ability to grow, change, etc., that separates plants and animals from things like water or rocks" (Merriam-Webster). The second definition is probably one of the most common definition and it s just the period of time as to which someone is alive. The third definition, however is "The experience of being alive" (Merriam-Webster).

One of the most common mistakes, in my opinion, is saying that your life begins with the very first breath you take. In your life you will take many breaths, but that doesn't mean you have lived. I don't mean you being alive because yes, technically you are living because it's the oxygen that is keeping you alive, however, I mean your actual life. The exciting roller coaster we call life. You haven't actually started to live yet. You haven't started to figure out what it is you're good at and what makes you great.

When you start school, the most common question is 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' Sometimes you don't know though. In high school, teachers and parents expect you to have your whole life figured out even though you still have to ask if you may go to the restroom. When the time is right, your life will come to an end. On tombstones they put your whole life in a line in-between the day you were born and the day you die.

No one knows when your life truly started, because in-between those two dates you decide when you really wanted to start living. In your life, you may see people taking adventures, starting families and to them that may be living. That doesn't mean that is how you have to live. Don't become discouraged if right away you don't know how you want to live. It will eventually settle into place. Whether you decide your life started right after high school or when you're married. No one can say if you are living. No one can tell you how you should live either. It's up for you to decide. However, you should try to take every opportunity you can. Hangout with friends and family whenever you get the chance. Take as many road trips as you can, If you wanna eat cake, then you eat cake. You should make memories. You never know maybe one of those opportunities will help you decide when your life started. When you think of the word life, think about the third definition. Think about experiencing life because the fact of the matter is that you are here as of right now and if you haven't yet, start your life.