I remember the days back in junior high. The classes were just time fillers. But upon returning home, a group of my friends and I would just sit down in front of the TV. Everything is within reach in our carefree lives: cookies, milk, remote, video games. We could sit there and enjoy the times for hours on end until my mom calls me for dinner. These were some of my favorite childhood memories because they weren’t “important.” They were carefree and fun.

Now, it is hard to imagine that I could experience those kinds of days again. I constantly feel like there isn’t enough time in the day. There is always work to be done, friends to call, rooms to clean, laundry to wash. Where did the time go? I’m not sure at what point in my life I became busy. But even still, if life slows down, I feel like I am wasting my time, as if my days are useless and unproductive. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to just be able to sit on the couch or lie on the bed and ponder. Yet, I find myself thriving in the busy environment. I am learning, creating, and helping not only myself but others around me.

Sometimes I feel like I’m so focused on getting things accomplished that the things I want to appreciate are just passing by. I remember I used to compare myself to a turtle. It’s not the destination that mattered, but the path traveled. I did not mind being slow. As long as I have friends around me, I can enjoy the ride. I want to live a life where I can feel satisfied in what I have done, but also a life where I am able to appreciate and take in everything around me. Maybe that means I would have to give up part of the fast pace life, or I just need a summer break such as the one I have now. Perhaps that is why I am so eager to go off to the beach, where I could just sit … and sit.