Time is fleeting, so quickly it is frightening. Yet, many seem not to notice. They are concerned only with their lives at the moment, thinking not of the future, or of the end. It is coming though, and nothing they can do will stop it. Aeschylus said it best perhaps, when he whispered, “But time growing old teaches all things.”
Certainly, you have heard youth is wasted on the young. Do you understand the meaning behind the statement? If you are older, perhaps you do. If you are one of the youth, perhaps you do not.
In many ways, young people do not know how to live their lives only because they are ignorant and still must learn. By the time many figure it out, they are, as everyone, old, decrepit, and they end up with one foot in the grave wondering where the time went.
Living a full life requires the ability to know what you want—as early in your life as possible. Then you have to work really hard for those goals.
Few are fortunate enough to know what they want out of life. These few probably had very fine parents who did a wonderful job helping them understand the important things in life. With the proper guidance, young people can realize what is important. Also, it has nothing to do with money, prestige, power, or anything else of a physical nature.
Who is happier—a person with a big house and new car, or one with a loving spouse and wonderful children? The youthful observer may have a hard time determining the correct answer. An older person knows the answer—and the one with the house and new car may have regrets while those with wonderful families are in fact, enjoying their lives beyond description.
When you are at the beginning of your life, you have to understand there is great opportunity for you to do whatever you wish. However, you need to realize what you want out of your life, you need to know how to go about getting it, and you need to have a plan. You also must know a few other things you possibly do not know yet. While you might not have the knowledge now, there are those who do who are in a position to help you. Additionally, they want to help to help. They are concerned for you and want to see you do well.
Your job as a young person, is to recognize who these people are and don’t fight them on what they say you should or should not do with your life. You have to remember that sometimes they may be talking from a position of experience. That experience may be the mistakes they made in their past; a mistake or series of mistakes they wish no one else, particularly someone they care for, should make.
If you are an older reader, you realize the truth above. If you are a younger reader, you may be thinking all of this is “a bunch of bunk.” Perhaps you should think about it.
Maybe there might be more to this “bunk” that could help you.
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© 2011 J. Clark
