Seventeen Years and Counting...

Wow. Recently I turned seventeen--an age I thought I would never reach when I was six. Seventeen was so "old" back then!  I remember looking at all the high school kids in my neighborhood and thinking that they were so mature and grown up and ready to take on the world. Now I've reached this age, I'm suddenly realizing that I'm not as "mature" as I thought I would be! I still love my old stuffed animals, half of my favorite movies are Disney cartoons, my attention span is about as big as a five-year-old's, and my favorite snacks are flavor blasted goldfish crackers. And do you know what? I like it that way. So, during the next 360(ish) days I have left of legally being a child, I'm going to do a ton of childish things. I'm going to play Barbies with my younger sisters (if they'll join me... :D), teach my brother to use the slip-n-slide, visit and buy something at the Disney store, hold a final tea party with all my dolls and stuffed animals and maybe a few friends, color outside of the lines, get sunburnt because I played in the backyard for too long, play dress up with my childhood friends, and maybe even get a little bit muddy after a rainstorm. I'm going to remember how to not be afraid for tomorrow. I'm going to forgive easily. I'm going to smile and laugh every chance I get. And most of all, I'm going to dream. I think too often we forget our loftiest goals, the dreams of our childhood. I'm going to remember those dreams, and who knows? Maybe I'll figure out what I want to study in college, or be able to decide if I'm moving out or not. But until then, I'm not going to stress about it. Answers will come. While I wait, I'm going to enjoy every single precious day I have. After all, you're only a child once. :)