Photo by Austin Chan on Unsplash
I had a high school teacher, Mr. Wayne Sanderson, who always told the class “ don’t be a statistic”.
When I was a teenager, I could never hear what he was saying. Today, as a father and a man who has hit rock bottom, I understand what he was saying.
For many of us, it can be difficult to live in the current moment. We set our sites on the future, and get lost in the process of reaching the destination. From graduations, high paying careers, families, and much more, life whizzes by only to make us wonder what is next?
But what if life didn’t have to be another statistic? How can we take a step back and enjoy the little moments of life? How can we enjoy the struggles and our darkest times?
I’d be lying to you to say I had it all figured out. But, I think it all comes down to the quote Mr. Sanderson was talking about when I was a teenager.
Life doesn’t have to be filled with statistics to make us happy.
Every point in my life, I have rushed to get to the next phase, only to leave me wondering what’s next. And that got me years of resentment, anger, and a life filled with emptiness. I think Mr. Wayne Sanderson was talking about slowing down in life.
That the key to happiness isn’t about reaching goals, it’s about being in the moment. Because now is all we have, and celebrating life every day we get to wake up, is what makes life such a privilege.
I’m learning not to be a statistic because I’m embracing all that life has to offer.
-George