So tonight was the band concert at the high school. It's always such a huge trip down memory lane for me, because there is always something about going to those things that makes you remember sitting in one of those familiar chairs, playing that familiar music. It's crazier for me because every time I come back I know less and less people in that band. Soon I won't know any of them. But then I wonder where I'm going to be at that point. Will I even be back in Punxsy? How often will I be back in say, 3 years?
I'm always in this weird stage between reminiscence and looking forward. It's not that I don't love the present, because I do. I heard about one of my good friends (who just got accepted to the college of his choice... and I met him when he was a freshman... I feel old.) making a speech before the concert tonight. He told his fellow band members to cherish every moment (from what I'm told). And it's so true. Looking back, band was one of the greatest things about being in high school for me. Not only did it teach you about hard work and diligence, but it taught you teamwork. It gave you a family if you didn't have one, friends when you needed them, and lasting memories. I mean, here I am, talking about things that happened about 4 years ago now.
Sometimes looking back puts things in perspective though. I think about things I considered "dramatic" or "hectic" and then I say, man. That was so dumb of me to think. Hectic for me now is even thinking about 18 credits on top of a job, an apartment, and studying abroad. I mean, look at where I'm at now: I just got a decent job lined up for next semester (Thank God!), and I saw some of my close friends from high school tonight. Not to mention my crazy high school band director whom I remember crying to when I felt stressed, and even now, two years after I'm gone he still calls me by the name I had back then. Studying abroad is still heavily on my mind, but I'm still taking things day by peaceful day. I see people and hear from people I graduated with (and haven't seen or heard from them much since) and I feel so blessed for being where I am and the people I've met since then.
I look back at last year, or last summer, or when I was 17, and see how much I've changed. I'm still the same person in a lot of ways, because I can always come home to these people I've seen the last few days and pick up right where we left off. But in other ways, I'm not the same person fully. Which is SUCH a blessing. I still have a lot to learn, but in the meantime, here's to the present.
Cherish life where you are now, because later you'll appreciate the memories you made and the people you met in the process. <3
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