Experiences

Many people have come to the conclusion that life is short and we should cherish the moments we get with one another. This has always been the mindset that has taken precedence in my thoughts when growing up. It was a known statement that never failed to be next to me when making decisions in my life. I still believe this statement 100%. I live by this motto because I don’t want to ever be close to my own demise, regretting the choices I have made in the past whether I did or didn’t do something. I agree, in a way, life can be short. However, if we look at life from a different perspective, it can seem like infinity.

I am only 16 and in my junior year of high school. A lot of people would consider me pretty young, which I am, however, the experiences that I have had make me up to be an older soul than I am. It’s funny to think about how some people determine whether you are young or not based on your age. I know that this is the universal way to determine people’s growth in life, however, I feel that quite a lot of people who are considered ‘young’ experience more detrimental or exciting events in their short life so far than people who have lived for 70 years. A lot of people associate the events that have happened in your life with the age that you are which to me is simply a fallacy that people have accepted in this world. Again, I am only 16. 16, and I have experienced a global pandemic. 16, and I have explored the caves of Bermuda. 16, and I have gone cliff jumping more times than the number of fingers on both of your hands.

Have I experienced everything I have ever wanted to experience? Of course not and that’s the beauty of a long life. However, this long fulfilled life isn’t guaranteed in any way shape or form. You have to make it happen.

So yes, the common motto that life is short is absolutely true and can be incorporated in so many situations that you take part in. However, I think it is naive of us to think that age is anything more than just a number. Sure, the simple way to look at it is that older people have experienced more things than people younger than them, but it isn’t technically true. There are probably so many people who are younger than me who have had interesting or crazy events happen to them. Events that have never entered my life and possibly never will. In conclusion, life can seem short once it is all over, but it can also seem long when you look at how much you have experienced at such a young age. It would be ignorant for any of us to assume that just because someone is 10 years old doesn’t mean you have had a harder or easier life than them You have no idea as you can’t determine that factor of their life based on their age.