Perspective: A Meditation on Transition and Transformation

This is the time of year when everything starts to get real. Starts to change. It’s a scary, sometimes paralyzing thought. For some, the people they love most are leaving for their futures while they are stuck in the same place. For others, they are leaving everything they’ve ever known behind for something entirely different and new and unknown.

Things are changing. Life will never be the same. But that's what makes it so special. There is no guarantee that things will ever be exactly like this ever again. The fact that one day there will be a last time makes this time so much sweeter. If things were to last forever there would be no reason to look up and appreciate what is around you now. All good things come to an end, either by concluding or ceasing to be good.

Life can feel like a perpetual waiting room. In elementary school you are waiting to go to middle school, in middle school you are waiting to go to high school, in high school you are waiting for college, in college you are waiting for the rest of your life. It’s depressing to think about, but it doesn't have to be that way. Your life isn’t assigned a meaning. Things aren’t necessarily just going to fall into your lap. It is your responsibility to live the life you want to live.

At this moment you are the oldest you have ever been. You have seen more sunsets than ever before. You have lived through more seconds than you ever have. You’re also the youngest you’ll be for the rest of your life. You have experienced less, made fewer decisions, and have more time than you ever will again. You have the ability to shape the rest of your time. You are the one who fills your life with experiences and love and art and beauty and people. You are the one who makes the decisions as to what your life will be. This moment is fleeting. You can spend it looking towards the future, or dwelling on the past, or you can grab it and wring it dry of all that it offers.

That isn’t to say that you must do momentous things in order to make it all count. In the process of chasing after the most “significant” experiences, you can lose out on the most meaningful ones. Awareness is the foundation of the human experience. The awareness of what is happening with the understanding that it is unique and beautiful is the truest way to make meaning of the life you have been given. True happiness is not a prolonged state of euphoria, but an awareness and appreciation of the smallest joys. Hearing a song you love in public. A random compliment from a stranger. Making your friend laugh with a simple joke. A comfortable silence. These moments intertwine into fulfillment.

In the end, your life won't be defined by the grade you got on a paper, the paycheck you cash, or the amount of likes a post of your beach vacation got. Your worth isn’t measured by the people around you. In the end, we are defined by our worldviews, the people we surround ourselves with, and the things we do.

Right now is a period of transition. A period of unknowns and possibilities. None of us can be sure of what path life will take us on next. While it is scary, it is also a gift. Now is the moment when you can take a chance. Tell the girl you love her. Take the scenic route. Make the fulfilling decision instead of the rational one. These are the things that shape you and your path. You have control. So use it.