“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.”

– Dr. Seuss

I never really understood what this quote was saying until I grew up a little. I never really understood the depth of any quote, but once I finally could that quote was the first thing I thought of.

There have been so many times where we wish we could fast forward time instead of enjoying the moments we have before us.

When I was a freshman, I would constantly work toward graduating. I would keep my GPA up. I would work so hard just to stay at the top of my class, get involved in as many events as I could so I could look good to colleges, and I was constantly wishing that I would graduate already.

I will be graduating soon and then in the fall of this year I will be starting college. I often find myself saying that I don’t want to graduate and I find it amusing because this has been what I’ve been wishing for since I was a freshman.

I look back on the moments I had and wish that I would have appreciated those moments more and I also wish I would’ve made more memories instead of constantly working forward. There were so many occasions where I had accomplished something so important, but instead of valuing those moments I almost immediately started working on something new.

I skipped out on moments simply because I didn’t feel like leaving my room, despite knowing that these moments would make me happier.

Regret — that’s the best way to describe it. I regret wishing my time away and I regret skipping out on precious moments. The moments I did have were always rushed and I never really enjoyed them.

This year I’m trying my best to get out and have more moments simply because I do go to college this year. I don’t want to go to college already wishing I was out. That’s not how I want to spend my time anymore, especially going forward.

I want to say that I enjoyed my time in high school, but I can’t say I truly have. Yes, it had its moments, but I haven’t thought of a moment where I wasn’t wishing it away. Which is why from now on I want to be able to say that I’m valuing my time and actually enjoying it instead of wishing for it to pass so quickly.

If I had any advice to give you, it would be to enjoy the moments you have with the people around you. Don’t wish your moments away because all you’ll be left with is memories and ones that you regret at that. Go to that Halloween party, go bowling with your friends, go ice/roller skating with your family and be sure that the memories you are making are going to be ones that make you happy in the long run.

I have countless memories, but that is all they are now. They are just memories without meaning.

(Cianna is a recent graduate of Harlan County High School and was a student in John Henson’s English/writing class)