I struggled for a long time with how to begin this column. I rewrote it over and over, wondering whether it should be inspirational or sad, or whether I should tell my whole story from the beginning. But eventually I realized something important: I don’t need to write this for everyone else. I want to write something that I will enjoy reading years from now — something that reminds me of the lessons life has already taught me.

One question I keep coming back to is, “How does anyone prepare themselves for the world?” The truth is, we can’t. Yet somehow, we spend so much of our lives trying to plan every moment. The next grade we get, the next time we see our friends, and where we go to college after high school.

     In my eighteen years, I’ve learned a lot about time — not in the cliché way, but in the way that comes from living through moments that change you.

     When I was younger, I learned how important it was to appreciate the simple moments—the ones when our biggest worry was making sure not to step on a crack because we might “break our mother’s back”. Back then, I believed everyone was good. But growing up taught me the world isn’t always that simple. Some people grow up surrounded by hurt; sometimes that hurt spills onto others, and for many of us, those moments become some of the hardest lessons we learn. Moments like these also teach us how important it is to be kind to someone because you never know what someone may be going through.

     Something else that has stuck with me so far is this: As different as we look and as far apart as we may seem, we are all stitched together by the same invisible threads of love, loss, and longing. Everyone carries hidden scars; everyone’s smile hides a story we’ll never fully know, but kindness is the one thing we can offer that might make someone feel a little less alone.

     I’ve learned that even when you feel broken, you can rebuild yourself — piece by piece. And when you do, you come back stronger, louder, and more confident. For me, softball was a huge part of that rebuilding. For ten years, it was more than a sport; it was a teacher. It taught me discipline, teamwork, and resilience. But along the way came injury after injury — surgery after surgery. Every time, I fought my way back to that field and proved people wrong, until one day I realized something I hadn’t expected: sometimes strength isn’t about pushing forward. Sometimes strength means knowing when to be kind to yourself and let something go.

     Letting go of something that meant so much to me was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I spent so much time waiting for the next moment — the next season, the next comeback — that I forgot to live fully in the one I was in.

     Life has a way of reminding us how quickly moments pass — and how quickly things change.  Moments where life suddenly felt quieter than it used to. Late-night conversations that once lasted until two in the morning eventually fade, and suddenly we realize the people who lived just across the hall from us won’t always be there, but time keeps moving. It moves with the quiet ticking of a clock—steady, constant, unbothered. It shows up every day, whether it feels ready or not, and so should we.

       In just a few days, I’ll stand wearing my cap and gown and walk across a stage that once felt impossibly far away. A chapter of my life will come to a close, and maybe—just maybe—will I finally understand what it means to live in the moment instead of always waiting for the next one. The truth is, we aren’t guaranteed anything in life. This world can be incredibly kind, yet unbelievably cruel. The life we imagined for ourselves when we were eight years old can change in an instant, leaving nothing but memories behind.

So, how do we prepare ourselves for the world? We don’t.

We try.

We fail.

We make mistakes.

And through it all—we learn.

      We prepare the world for us through our growth, our achievements, our setbacks, and even our comeback stories. So as I leave this chapter behind and step into the next one, I hope to remember this: to be kind, chase my dreams, and not to live my life waiting for the next moment but to live in this one. Time may be short, but the memories we create within it can last forever.