Remember back when you were young and all the adults would say:

“Someday you……” and it was always followed by some prediction, warning or piece of advice?

Or perhaps you are young now and you know what I am talking about….

Well I went from being completely irritated by those adults to becoming one (as will you!) so young people listen up…. I will tell you the same things I tell my children:

The things you like now?

You may not like as much in the future.

The things you hate now?

You may end up liking…even loving….. if you give them a chance….

The path you see yourself on now?

Will most likely be filled with roadblocks, bumps, smooth portions, dips, dives and forks every few miles. It’s never perfect.

Your destination?

May not be what you envisioned. It may be better. It may be worse. It may be different. It may be all of the above. That chapter is unwritten. It’s your job to write it. It will take guts, determination and acceptance that things may not turn out as planned.

Hit that inevitable fork in the road? Yell ‘PLOT TWIST’ and continue on!

Your friends?

May not always be there for you. Or maybe they will. You may grow apart. You may end up living next to each other. You may never see each other again. You may talk once in awhile and have the ability to pick up where you left off. You will meet more people. Make new friends. No matter what, remember to live your life for you and not for them. You will all be happier in the long run.

That Perfect Guy or Girl?

It’s easy when you are young to think that ‘Someday your prince (or princess) will come’ Your tastes may change. You will realize that ‘perfect’ doesn’t exist. There is a lot of truth to the saying “It’s what is inside that counts” and don’t just settle. Common goals and shared interests help, but you can easily love someone who also has different interests.  Love doesn’t mean you are always connected at the hip. Love doesn’t mean dropping everyone in your life in favor of your new flame. Love isn’t always at first sight. Love isn’t all hearts and roses either. It’s actually pretty hard work so pay no attention to the movies and novels that try to tell your otherwise. 

Your health?

May not always be perfect, let alone great. Take care of yourself while you are young and think prevention, because before you know it, something may sneak up on you. You will want to kick the crap out of yourself if you had the ability to do something about it.

Your Body?

WILL change. You will develop wrinkles, perhaps gain weight, lose weight, your skin will lose it’s luster. You may have kids and your hips and feet will be wider. You may develop a ‘spare tire’ and stretch marks from pregnancy or a beer belly from all your after work indulgences. You may lose your hair and develop under eye circles. So don’t mock those you see who aren’t perfect or fit into what you perceive to be beautiful. Those people? They’ve lived. They have a story. It’s not your place to judge. You just look silly and you may feel remorseful when those same things start happening to you…….

Your Perspective?

May change. Keeping an open mind helps. Thinking outside the box helps. Always be willing to learn from everyone, that includes your enemies and people you may not agree with.

Practice Empathy:

The ability to understand and share the feelings of others is a superpower.

Be Yourself!

Never let anyone try to change who you are. Always listen to advice, learn other perspectives, maybe even apply things where they fit for you, but never ever let someone try to dull your personality. What works for one person may not be what works for you. Never try to become someone else, embrace who you are. It’s okay to be different. It’s okay not to fit in. It’s okay to be popular. Its okay to love yourself and put yourself first if you need to.

We are all writing our own individual stories.

Never be afraid to ask for help!

There is no shame in it. When you need help, let others be there for you. Put your pride aside because your pride can’t help you. Remember we all make mistakes. They happen. Learn from them and move along.

And last but not least…..

Life isn’t supposed to be easy,

Life isn’t always hard,

HOWEVER,

Life is precious sooooooo,

NEVER GIVE UP!

(and those adults I mentioned above? Take it from a former stubborn-know it all youth. A lot of them were RIGHT!)

 

Daily Prompt: Someday

(Featured Photo: I took a few years ago of my daughters on one of our walks on the Niagara Escarpment)