Have you ever thought about the fact that one day you will be old and senile and die? Of course, that's if you manage to make it that long. Ever wondered what you would look back on? What memories you would treasure the most? I hear a lot of people talking about:
What legacy will you leave behind?
What will people remember you for?
What impact would you make on the world?
But what about what's important to you? What will matter to you the most? A study done at the University of New Hampshire interviewed 34 Caucasian seniors aged between 55 and 92. Turns out that when they were asked to share their life story in 30 minutes, in free-flowing fashion, the memories that stood out the most were those formed between ages 15 to 30. Most of them were life transitions: a first job, a marriage, graduating college, becoming a parent. It might be sad news to know that it's likely that our most vivid and impressionable memories are those from our teens and twenties. But are you surprised? Youth is the most beautiful thing in the world. I share this to you because when I read this, it made me rethink my life goals and priorities. Maybe it can inspire you too.
Imagine you are in a bed. You are about 85 years old and you are breathing heavily. Your breath is shallow and you begin to lose feelings in your limbs. The blood rushes through your body like that tidal wave-like feeling you get when your leg wakes up after falling asleep. You close your eyes and you begin to go through your life—chapter by chapter, snapshot by snapshot. One by one, you remember the smiling faces of the people you knew and loved: your first crush, your best friend in elementary school, your favorite teacher, your first relationship, your first fight, your first kiss. First this, final that. Graduation. Marriage. Your first trip abroad. Your first time getting drunk. These are the moments we remember.
Look at this scene from Titanic (spoiler alert).
Titanic is one of the highest grossing movies of all time. Of all time. Jack Dawson told Rose, "You’re going to get out of this...you’re going to go on and you’re going to make babies and watch them grow and you’re going to die an old lady, warm in your bed. Not here...Not this night. Do you understand me?" He made her promise him she would survive. Did she make due on her promise? You bet. She lived her life. Flew a plane. Rode a horse. She survived. When it's all said and done, what will give you the best memories?
