Living In The Now

I wasn’t quite sure what to write here today but then one specific quote came to mind. Bil Keane once said, “Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present”. I mean come on we all love presents, don’t we? I have been one to always look ahead. I always want to know what is next and most of the time that means I forget what is going on at the moment. My peers, along with myself have all once said the phrase “I can’t wait”. As I think about this phrase, that some of us say daily I think, why can’t we wait? These are things like I can’t wait for summer, I can’t wait for recess, and for lunch, or those gym games like dodgeball and capture the flag that we all loved so much growing up. We can’t wait to be done with our English work which has been said a lot by everyone graduating here today, and especially we can’t wait to graduate. For parents, grandparents, and guardians, you couldn’t wait to watch us take our first steps, hear our first words, or even see what our lives will turn out to be.

A lesson that I have learned from every adult I have talked to throughout high school is to “Just wait”. They are two simple words but have such a grand meaning. Be patient, live in the moment, and don’t worry about other things in the past or the future. Throughout high school, teachers have told every one of us to wait. Take a breath and wait. There is no need to rush things through, just live in the moment, and think about what is so important in the future that you miss out on what is going on presently. As life goes on we stop and look back at the many memories we have made throughout our lives and years through school. Looking back we have so many amazing memories here at Oak Hill, some we couldn’t wait for and some we couldn’t wait to be over. Personally, I couldn’t wait to be a field hockey goalie and play volleyball every summer, I couldn’t wait to make inside jokes with teachers like Mr. Fernaled and Mr. Boucher. I couldn’t wait to be here, standing with all of you walking across the stage and receiving the piece of paper we have all worked so hard to get. I also couldn’t wait to be done waking up at 5:45 every day to get to school and go to class, but now those memories, all those memories we made in school, at practice, in the halls, and at lunch, and even all of our most memorable time in geometry. We think of all the memories we made with peers that we might never see again, and we think of how much we miss those times. So live in the moment now before the moment fades into a memory. So enjoy all your morning Dunkin and aroma trips, and the fires and get-togethers with your friends, enjoy taking the trips down to Oak Hill Cash for your morning Red Bulls and after-school snacks. Blasting music in your cars, singing as loud as you can, and going on drives with your friends.

So live in the now, live in the current moment before it turns to memories, and don’t live in the future and stay stuck in the past. More than you know we are all thinking ahead, and before you know it we will be missing what is in front of us right now. We often look forward to amazing things that are to come in the future but we tend to miss and push aside the amazing things happening in the current moment. We will look forward to something that is just about to happen but then a few minutes later we already have another thing to look forward to. It’s like being on a roller coaster. You are so excited and looking forward to reaching the top and are ready for the adrenaline rush that comes with falling, but then it’s over and you’re already anticipating the next time it happens. By constantly anticipating the future we are sacrificing the now, and the wonderful things that are going on. And in no way am I saying that we shouldn’t have dreams, goals, and aspirations, inevitably these things are vital to success. So always dream big, set goals, shoot for the stars, and keep marching forward. I am also saying to not allow the future to overlook the present and things going around you currently, and remind yourself that we can learn to wait. We can be patient and live in the moment without constantly wanting to go past it. Life goes by in a blink of an eye and if you don’t stop and look around occasionally you could miss it all.

As we all walk across this stage today and get ready to start the next chapter of our lives I want you all to take away one thing from my speech, enjoy who you are and where you are now, wait patiently, and enjoy and take in every moment. We can wait for this ceremony to be over, we can wait for summer, we can wait just a little bit longer to move out into the world alone, and we can wait to follow the path less traveled. Our future will arrive, but this exact moment will never happen again. Don’t let the little moments pass by without acknowledging it, and don’t wish these days away too quickly. The present moment is the only time you are truly living. Experience all of the low and high and everything else in between. Enjoy the tears, the laughter, and all the little things. Cherish the last hugs and smiles to your friends and family and your last times here with the Oak Hill 2024 class. Enjoy the present moment and enjoy the journey that will follow. So take a deep breath and take in the moment because shortly all of high school will become a memory. Congratulations class of 2024 and as always it’s a great night to be a raccoon. Thank you. 

“Buffalo Bills roller coster” by wmharsha is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.

“2014 Dodge Ball” by Life @ BC High is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.