Sometimes, I wish I hadn’t grown up being too serious about everything.
When I was growing up, many people told me I was too serious. Those people were from grade school, high school, the first few years of college, and my first few online friends. I couldn’t take a joke or detect sarcasm. I rarely cracked a smile. And I was more of a pessimist, plus I was really tough on myself.
Tell me, “Look on the bright side of life,” and I’d reply, “What’s bright?”
Now that I’m older and I know when to be serious and to be cheerful, I wish I had learned that skill when I was younger.
Sometimes, I wish I had started taking more photos in high school.
If I were to make a scrapbook of my life, my high school chapter would have the fewest number of photos. Like I said earlier, I was really tough on myself, and I thought not taking photos was a great idea. Now I regret that so much.
That part of my life, like any other part, has a mix of good and bad moments. But the most important thing that happened in that chapter was meeting some of my best friends, whom I still keep in touch with. It’s a good thing the smartphone was invented, and whenever I meet my friends (new and old), I make sure to take photos of us. But, man, I wish I had done that in high school, so when I look back at that era and the photos I should’ve taken, I’d say to myself, “High school wasn’t entirely bad.”
Sometimes, I do an acapella of the guitar riff from Foo Fighters’ “All My Life” when I’m happy.
Now, something that’s not about regret. 😂
But yeah, I noticed I’ve been vocalizing the guitar intro whenever I have a happy thought or experience a really happy moment. (And I’ve had a lot of those in recent months.)
Recently, while I was chilling at my favorite cafe, I did that, and good thing no one heard it. (Or maybe at least one heard it, and didn’t mind.) But, even if I still think of the what-ifs and regrets, at least I can look at the brighter side now.
Ian Pasicolan 