I Blinked

Despite Kenny Chesney's warning, I blinked.

I was just 6 years old, and now I'm 18 and about to graduate from high school. Life is going by too fast.

I wish now that I could take back all of those days where I wanted to pass time quickly.

The times when I couldn't wait for the school day to be over or a hard test to be complete.

The days where I was happy when I found out I didn't have to babysit.

The moments where I looked so far ahead and wished for something greater.

Because now those times have run out. Now I find myself cherishing the present moments so much more.

Last week I went and saw my cousin sing in her school's choir show. They are just a bunch of kindergartners, but soon they won't be. I sat there in the audience as I watched them perform, as well as the 4th, 6th, and 8th grade students. 8th grade seems like a lifetime ago. I found myself getting sad at how time never stops.

I think, if nothing else, the end of high school has taught me the need to appreciate things more. To take life one day at a time and cherish the "now" moments before looking ahead to the future ones.

I feel myself trying to hold onto every possible second, and I hope I can continue to do that next year even when it appears as though I have a lot of time in college. Because I know that I really don't have much time. I just wish I would have learned that sooner.

Today in my Calculus class some of us got up and shared our college plans and hopes for the next 10 years. It was weird because we were sitting there talking about marriage and babies and how that could definitely happen for some of us in the next 10 years. I mean, seriously?! How am I that old that big stuff like that is starting to pop up on my 10 year radar. But I'm just trying to take life one day at a time and not to blink.

"Best start putting first things first."

Cause when your hourglass runs out of sand,

You can't flip it over and start again.

Take every breath God gives you for what it's worth.

Don't blink.

Just like that you're 6 years old and you take a nap, and you

Wake up and you're 25 and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife.

Don't blink.

You just might miss your babies growing like mine did.

Turning into moms and dads, next thing you know your better half

Of 50 years is there in bed,

And you pray that God takes you instead.

Trust me friend, a hundred years goes faster than you think.

Don't blink.

I've been trying to slow it down.

I've been trying to take it in.

In this here today gone tomorrow world we're living in.