“While we wait for life, it passes”

This quote from Seneca puts attention on the fact that what we view as our full life, our full story, is happening now, not at some later date. And this makes sense. We go about our lives day by day, and eventually, those days turn into years, decades, and then our life.

Of course, there is value in delayed gratification. Whether that is saving, studying for a test instead of partying, or eating healthy, it is essential to control your desires at certain times to get a better long term return.

But that should never be taken to an extreme. Don’t miss out on all the things that give you joy, for some future that is not guaranteed. There will always be time for responsibility. But time to enjoy life, at almost any age, is finite, and must be taken advantage of.

Taking risks is also important. Do not take irresponsible risks, but doing something outside your comfort zone or putting yourself out there almost always has more positives than negatives.

Sure, doing that can result in embarrassment. But it often results in doors, relationships, and life opening in ways you didn’t think was possible. Failing to put yourself out there can lead to regret later in life. That lasts much longer than any possible temporary embarrassment.

Time never stops. One day you are a kid. You grow up. You have plenty of time to do things, but at some point you become an adult, and can never go back to when you were a kid. Then you grow into middle age, and can’t get back the time you were a young adult, and on and on until you are at the end of your life.

This isn’t to say that life doesn’t give you plenty of opportunities to do things, even if you miss out on putting yourself out there. But time, and life waits for no one. If you wait for it, it will pass you by.