You’re 17 for only 365 days, and you could die at 18. When your mom asks you to sleep in her bed, say yes. One day she could be in a hospital bed and there won’t be enough time to make up for right now. Stop canceling plans, go out, and use your legs while they work. Stop denying affection, stop shutting people out, and refusing to feel things. You’ll never be able to love someone as a teenager at 35. If you love someone, tell them, who cares?! Be brutally and beautifully honest, we’re all just going to die. And so what if you embarrass yourself, you’re the only one that really cares. Go out and change the world, when you’re 80 and watching the news you don’t want to see the same issues still going on when you had every chance to fight them.
It’s easier to make friends in high school than in a nursing home. Embrace feelings and intimacy, and let the people you love be close to you. Don’t apologize for caring and don’t let people make you feel guilty about it. You’re only a teenager for 2,555 days and then you’re 20. Suddenly you’re graduated with a career, house, and a family. Life never slows down. Your time is the most expensive thing you have and it’s the most beautiful thing when people give it up for others. Bones become fragile and break, people unexpectedly die in car crashes and friends move on, who knows who’ll you’ll be with at the end of your life? With every atom in your body, live right now.
Thanks for reading. -Elaina
Oh! I hit a mailbox and was only going 5mph so our passengers were fine. His dad repaired the mailbox and couldn’t stop laughing at me so it was okay, he wasn’t mad at all. I don’t think Mr. J could ever get angry. Our long talk in the car made me think to post this. Get off your phone and go live your life.
Elaine Kate 