If there’s one thing that these past few years have taught me, it is the importance of soaking up the important moments. Time flies by faster than we realize, and most times you don’t realize just how perfect a time was until you look back on it later.
Time will continue to fly by at a seemingly fast rate, but we have to know to soak up the little time we have on this Earth. There are so many things that distract us from what is important.
Not to be cliché, but our phones distract us so much. I will be the first to admit it; I spend too much time on my phone, but recently, I have tried to get away from my phone and actually pay attention to what is around me, and it has opened my eyes to so much more. With this sort of technology fast, I have noticed just how technology addicted our world is.
I went to a Warren Zeiders concert a few months ago, and one thing I noticed is that people were using their phone to try and preserve the moment instead of actually living in the moment. I was one of the people taking videos of the concert, thinking that it would help my preserve the moment, but I regret doing that. It was like I was watching the concert through a screen instead of actually watching it in real life, even with the stage being right in front of me.
The problem is that people know that time is precious, but instead of trying to take advantage of the time we have, people try to preserve it through technology — completely missing the point of actually living in the moment. Don’t get me wrong, having cool concert videos on your phone is nice to have, but I think it takes away from the actual experience.
Living in the moment is different from trying to preserve the moment.
Living in the moment entails shutting off the technology around you, actually paying attention to what is around you, and soaking up what is around you. Preserving the moment entails taking pictures, videos, or a combination of both to look back on the moment later.
There is nothing wrong with taking pictures before a concert or even during a concert, but there is a line that shouldn’t be crossed. You probably shouldn’t be taking videos of an entire concert to try and preserve a memory because you won’t be able to fully live in the moment.
Looking back on a concert video is cool and all, but instead of watching the video back, it would be better to imagine it in your own head after seeing it with your own eyes instead of through your phone screen.
One thing that I have learned throughout high school is that living in the moment is so important, and it is crucial to stay present in the moments that you are experiencing. When you look back on an event or time period, you don’t want to feel like you missed something because you weren’t present in the moment.
Another thing I have learned is how important it is to be there and present with your loved ones. Your parents may only get about 18 years with you before you leave for college and move into adulthood, so it is important to cherish that time you have with them.
Instead of getting annoyed with your parents for asking how your day was, give them a genuine answer because that’s all they want. With their constant questioning of how your day was, it is showing how much they genuinely care about you and worry about your well-being. Tell them about the drama with you and your friends, and let them be involved in your life because in reality your time together in the same house may be limited.