the best years of your life are far from over

With school starting back up tomorrow I can't help but think back on my 'glory' days. Many moons ago I stumbled into Shelby County High School as a preppy, snotty, smart mouthed teenager. I thought I was invincible. I had many friends, I was very involved with extra curricular activities, and I was secretly terrified. I had so many expectations of how my life would turn out. I would graduate, go to college, party it up, join a sorority, and meet some hot athlete who would eventually go pro. With all this in my mind, life looked pretty awesome. I would eventually settle down, have as many babies as God would give me and be super mom. High school is rough no doubt. Everyone tells you 'these are the best days of your lives' and I have to disagree. That snotty, smart mouthed teen has grown up and been through the ringer and I have you know 'the best days of your lives' are far from over. One day you are fearless headed into the real world, the next you are knocked down with reality and the bittersweet of life as an adult. You realize you are lucky to have a handful of good friends, and maybe one or two best friends. You realize words hurt when you aren't the one spewing them out. You realize that all these plans you had or no more than day dreams. When you get married at 19 because you are so in love you couldn't imagine another day without them and you swore you never would marry before you 'lived a little.' You grow up with your spouse in the big old world and learn that life isn't fair, bad things happen to good people and there isn't really anything you can do about it. In the middle of all this chaos something happens. You grow up,you mature, and you realize how completely and undeservingly blessed  you are. Every trial and tribulation is preparing you for what's to come. When life comes together it all fits like a puzzle and their are still a few missing pieces but you know not to worry, in due time they will come. You take a deep breath and realize these are the best years of your life. Every day is a gift not to be taken for granted. The best days of your lives are everyday from here on out. It only gets better, you just have to choose to see the good even when it seems impossible.