Final thought

I have existed nearly 18 whole years of life upon this planet. By most other people's standards, I have had quite the uneventful life. What I have always enjoyed is staying indoors with a TV screen in front of me watching or playing something. I have maybe left the state of Arizona four times. Never been on an airplane or seen the ocean. I haven't done a lot of things, and there are many things I regret. For being so young, I feel like I have done so little with my time; yet I still want to do more. I am proud to say this today because this was not who I always was.
Just a couple of years ago, I use to let myself hold on to regret so much it would hold me back from life itself. I couldn't enjoy anything because I forced myself to believe I wasn't allowed to because of my mistakes. For example, after the passing of my grandfather I realized I had forgone massive amounts of time that could have been spent with him. I regretted not being around him more, and it made me hate myself so very much because of my sadness over his passing. This frustration and anger also ruined my perspective on life itself, as I started to believe that my bad karma for not spending enough time with my grandfather would follow me until my own death.
I can thankfully say that is not the kind of person I am now. Although it has taken large amounts of time, I have truly changed myself for the better with the help of my girlfriend and family. But what I still cannot say for myself, is that I don’t feel regret over wasted time.
This feeling constantly looms over me as it were some incurable disease. Because it seems to me that I have missed out on a lot of things since that my habits have always consisted of life indoors. I couldn't tell what exactly I have missed; but I can tell you how much I wish I had decided to walk out of my front door more often. I am not saying I haven't had my fair share of great memories with friends; but I will never know what else I could have experienced had I decided to be more adventurous.
After all of the lessons and advice I have heard, it is apparent to me that the only way to make a difference in how I feel about my life and what I have or haven't done is to look only forward. I can't stay stuck on constant anxiety over my troubles or my stress. Hanging back and doubting myself isn't an option. Sure I haven't had the most extravagant life so far; but the only way to get to that point in which I feel I have had a more memorable experience in life, is to actually start doing instead of waiting. My message to everyone is that no matter what you want for yourself, you cannot hold regret or frustration over your past. The only way to progress is to live and learn from everything that happens to you. To reach the point where you're actually happy starts with you understanding that you command your life and what you do with it.

Camping Thoughts

I had not been camping for years, yet I agreed. I agreed to go with my friends on a one day camping trip to make some good memories. Although I was a little reluctant because I am honestly not the biggest fan of the great outdoors, my friends sort of made my decision for me. This past Saturday, just the four of us went for a whole day and night out in the woods. I knew it would be a cool, quick trip.
We all woke up early to make sure we could get there asap, and see a few animals on the way there. Our campground was up by Heber so I knew some of the area. But our leader of the trip knew a trail out to a site that was supposed to be great for seclusion, sights, and cell service (the best part.) Anyways, as we got on the trail with our vehicles, the best thing we got to see was a couple of squirrels. Which I will admit was kind of disappointing. The bright side of the morning was that everything went smooth while getting to our camp site.
As soon as we arrived, I realized I was completely out of my element. I tried to remember all my previous camping trips, all the knowledge I had gained before, and did my best to apply it to the moment. Watch for rocks, big branches, don't leave trash, and don't leave the coals in the fire unattended. Basic knowledge but I was a novice anyways. But thankfully my friends planned way ahead and brought all the essentials. To quickly sum it up, it was a fun trip and we had some good laughs but while there I started to think of something I hadn’t thought of in a long time.
We live in the most absolutely safest time period of mankind's existence. Sure there are still murders and atomic weapons out there; but there are still so many advancements in medicine and technology that humans are the dominant species. Aside from the ocean, mankind owns the world and the resources it offers.
Humans have grown so far advanced, that we have potential to literally destroy ourselves and the planet along with it. Yet there was a time when that was unthinkable. Me and my friends thought of the idea of man first discovering fire and how amazing it must have been for them, because at that time everything was practically out to get us. Bad weather could mean sickness, and a small cold could have killed you. The animals were bigger and more ferocious. Every day was a fight for survival. I'm allowed to enjoy a camping trip because sleeping outdoors, starting a fire, and roasting marshmallows is all part of the fun. Those who came long before us couldn't do the same.
I find these thoughts so fascinating  because I can't imagine life before modern times. It's hard to envision no skyscrapers in New York, no Disney in California, and no Holbrook in Arizona. So much time has passed in human history and my span of life here on earth is insignificant in comparison.