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Memories
Have you ever sat in a quiet room and listened to the ticking of a clock? Time passes, and you count the seconds as they are slipping away right from under your fingers.
“Tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock” it’s like a taunt. This persistent alert makes me worry about the nearing future; getting into university, becoming an adult, living on my own, and all the possibilities life throws at us after high school. In those seconds where the clock just keeps ticking, I don’t know what to think or do, and I just want to be able to stop time. The thing is, I can’t. I can’t freeze the moment and hope that the here and now is what is forever. Time has passed far too quickly and I can’t catch up.
Of course, we all know how fast time passes by. Childhood came and left in a blur. But, for me that time as a child was ever so fulfilling. I look back on most memories with fond recollection. Playing games in our basement with my brothers, building snow forts in the backyard with my dad, doing plays with my mom, sleepovers with friends and looking back on those times makes me miss being a kid. Of course, there were the few moments that weren’t pleasurable, that make me sad and feel sorry for my younger self. But, when I look back on my childhood, those aren’t the events or experiences that vividly float to my mind. It’s the good ones.
Even when I look back on the past few years, the bad occurrences don’t shoot to my mind first. It’s the good ones, like doing horror movie marathons with friends, playing spikeball every night in the spring, going on sports trips and to team dinners, winning tournaments, watching the smiles on everyone’s faces while we sing our hearts out on the bus ride home. Late nights with my roommates talking about life or doing homework, playing ping-pong or pool in the student centre, participating in and watching prefect versus staff sports games, scorching hot or pouring rain all campus days. Doing lights out, listening to the music and laughter come from rooms up and down every floor. Witnessing the talents and capabilities so many of us possess, from art and music to sports and school. And when I recall these beautiful colourful memories I wish I could relive, I often get sad. I truly want to be able to freeze the moments and relive every second before it all slips away.
But as I said, I can’t. No one can, but a lesson I think is important for us to learn from this is that just because the good memories we have now are in the past, doesn’t mean more can’t be made in the future. This goes for everyone, whether you are coming back to Stanstead or moving on, the memories you have made will stay with you, but more memories that are filled with happiness and joy can be made. Further the collection of goodness and happiness for yourself. Talk to new people, explore new horizons, try to do something maybe you’ve never done before, of course not every memory will be perfect or the best, but that’s life. The key is keeping yourself going so that despite the bad experiences, you can always keep making good ones.
I want to finish with a quote from the famous playwright Oscar Wilde, who once said that “memory is the diary we all carry about with us.” So, please, remember that memories can of course be reflected on, but we have to keep writing and creating them as well, to fill our “diaries” with endless pleasure and fond memories to last us forever.
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