I spent most of my youth wishing I was older. 

 I wanted to turn eight so I could finally get my ears pierced, to turn ten so I could get an iPhone, to get to middle school so I could be considered a big kid, to get to high school, to get my license, to be an upperclassman, and to get to college. The list is never ending.  

There is always a certain age we want to be rather than accepting our current one.  

For example, I’ve fantasized about turning 25,when I can still be young and independent, but with a big girl job. Sometimes it is the opposite and I wish I was in middle school again. 

I have recently been wrestling with my inner thoughts to figure out why I wish I was a certain age or on a specific chapter of my life. 

I have to remind myself how awesome my life currently is.  I have my entire life ahead of me, I am at an age where people take me seriously (but not too seriously), I am living within a one-mile radius of my best friends, and I can take classes that genuinely interest me.  

I am overjoyed about the life I am currently living. So why do I feel like this? 

I originally thought this might be caused due to legal age limits.  

When you are 15, all you want to do is turn 16 so you can get your license. When you are 20, you want to be 21 so you can legally drink. When you are 24, you want to be 25 so you can rent a car. When you are 34, you want to be 35 so you can have the option of becoming President of the United States. I assumed that the demand for wanting to be older would end there.  

However, sometimes I still catch my parents wishing they were older. My parents always talk about the milestones they will hit once they are a certain age. This includes retirement, becoming empty-nesters, trips, and so much more.  

I asked my grandpa at what age it flips from wishing you were older to wishing you were younger. He informed me that it’s different for everyone, especially men and women.  

Women typically start to wish they were younger in their 40s ,whereas men start to wish they were younger in their 50s.  

It saddens me to think there is most likely never a time I will be fully content at my age.  

I recently watched a homily given online by Father Mike Schmitz about living in the moment. Throughout the homily, he reminded us to reflect on the life we are currently living and realize that we will never get time back.  

I will never be 19 again. I don’t want to waste my time wishing I was living in a different chapter than the one I am currently in.  

You’ll never get this time back. Don’t focus so much on the future and the past. Live in the moment, because one day you might wish you were back where you currently are.