When I was young child I always wanted to grow up so fast. I hated being told what to do, I hated not being able to voice my opinion, and I hated not being able to do what I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it. Although I wanted to grow up too fast, I still enjoyed my childhood. I woke up and watched cartoons on Saturday morning. I played with my friends in my neighborhood. My great grandmother took me to Disney World and I got to meet Mickey Mouse. To be honest, I had one of the best childhoods, a child could ever ask for. My Family was far from perfect but my grandparents raised me with unconditional love and they are the reason I am the person I am today. So back to why I wanted to grow up so fast. Little things like my grandfather telling me, I had to eat dinner at the kitchen table, but he would take his plate in his room. Things like that made me so mad and I just wanted to be an adult so I could do what I wanted as well. As I got older time started flying, high school came and went, and then I decided to go away to college with two of my best friends to play basketball. So, in 2003 I went away to college and basically started to learn how to be a man. My first year I got all F's. My second year I had no other choice but to do better or I would have got kicked out of school. So, I got my life together. I had experiences that will last a lifetime and made friends that will last a lifetime as well. Time continue to fly, and before you know it, I was 22 years old, coming back home with an Associate’s degree in Human Services. When I arrived home, my grandfather told me that the only bill I had to pay was the cable bill. So, when I started working I was able to save all my money. I got tired of working and decided to sell weed and hang out more in my neighborhood. That whole process let to getting me in a lot of trouble, but it was a lesson learned. I sold weed because I thought I was taking a shortcut in bringing my dreams to life. I made a lot of money in the process but I couldn’t save it. Just as fast as it came in, was just as fast as it went out. Through the process of me evolving I made a lot of mistakes. I did a lot of things wrong.  While I was figuring out what I wanted to do with my life, my grandfather was diagnosed with dementia and within a few months, he had three strokes that took away his short-term memory. For the next five years, my Aunt and I had to take care of my grandfather until he passed away in 2013.

Now I share this story because I want you to learn some of the things I have experienced. There are so many more details but this blog can only be so long. My point in writing this is to share my experience with you of not living in the moment and getting stuck to far into the future, or two far in the past. Neither the past or the future is relevant right now. The only thing that matters is this very moment, that's where your power lies. I rushed to get older not knowing that my great grandmother would pass away in 2002. My grandfather would pass away in 2013. After he passed away, I wished that we would have got to spend more time together and did more stuff together like when he took me to the Knicks game. I wanted to be an adult so bad and now I find myself wanting to go back.

Growing up was like some type of tv show in my house. We came together during the holidays. We supported one another. We had cookouts for the 4th of July where all the family would come to my house in Queens. I didn't know I was rushing through such beautiful moments. As you get older people die, people get sick, and sometimes people just grow apart. In my family, my great grandmother kept everybody together. All though I miss my youth I have learned so much in my 32 years on this planet. I have always appreciated the people around me but I didn't know that over time things would change so rapidly. As I get older I realize, the older you get, the more you get stuck in your ways. You stop having fun and enjoying yourself because you tell yourself your too old. So, you try to do things that adults do but you realize that adults get old. You realize that when you’re young you have this vigor and joy about living life. You don't let the little things bother you and you live everyday like it's an adventure. I don't know what changes when you get older. I know you have more responsibility, you have to pay rent and bills. You become a parent and have to take care of your family. But does that mean we have to stop living life and treating each day like it's your last. Remember when the highlight of your day was getting dress and going to hang out with your friends. Being young was the best thing that could of ever happened to any of us.

I know that as an adult you are perceived to have to live life a certain way. But in my opinion after you pay the bills, after you take care of your responsibilities make sure you enjoy yourself. Call your old college friends, go out for a drink and reminisce on the good old days where the highlight of your day way going to the beach. Make new memories, take group vacations with your best friends. Have game night and throw barbecues in the summer. Just because you call yourself an adult now, doesn't mean you have to stop enjoying life. Take my word for it, one minute I blinked my eyes I was 10, then I blinked my eyes a few times and was 18. Then I blinked my eyes a few more times and I'm 32. I have said goodbye to my 20's. I graduated from college again in 2016 with bachelors of science in Social Work. I started my own business and I almost forgot that to continue to treat life like an adventure. I stop going out, staying in contact with my friends, it was like one day I woke up and was like why am I taking life so serious. So, some days I might go get on a swing or go to a Kendrick Lamar concert with one of my good friends. I take walks and I enjoy the breeze hitting my face. I watch the stars at night and remember the days where me and my friends didn't have a worry in the world. So, I decided that I will be forever young. No matter how old I get I will always embrace my inner child. Yes, I know that as I get older I must evolve and be able to maintain and handle my responsibilities. I also know that I only have one life to live. I must enjoy every bit of it. My goal is to worry less and spend more time being grateful for the moment. Although I rushed through life at times I still was able to slow down and live in the moment. I have created memories that brings tears to my eyes. With the wisdom, I have attained so far, the only thing I will do different now is to slow things up just a little. I'm in no rush for time to move fast anymore. I just want to remain KoolforLife and enjoy every single moment the universe allows me to have. I hope this this blog makes you want to call a friend. Go out, enjoy the day. We are older now but that just means we have much more to talk about. Shout out to all my college friends, we had a ball and I look forward to us having the same fun again one day. Stay blessed my friends, remember that staying young or getting old is a mindset. Treat yourself like a good bottle of wine that has been aged for years. Only get better with each passing day. Remember that this thing called life is an adventure so make sure you enjoy it my friends.

Until next time, stay KoolforLife and we will talk soon.