Life is short, as everyone knows.

Yes, I know I’m only a 16 year old Junior in high school. However, in reality, my years on Earth are only decreasing, one second at a time. When I look back on the past, I wish some moments could remain in the present. However, I often end up forgetting those moments that really matter. Moments like the time when I went on a 8.34 mile run in Tuscany, chasing an ancient castle in the distance. I remember the evergreen Tuscan cypress trees surrounding me on the winding dirt road, and I remember so vividly the taste of a grape I tasted off a fresh vine. I want to remember these moments forever.

With that being said, I’ve been trying to decode my life, more specifically, my purpose. No, I don’t want to be doing service all my life, nor do I want to do something humanitarian-oriented that is typically said to give one “purpose”. I want to be happy, and to me, I think there’s a couple things that lead me to that.

I mean, I am happy. But, there’s just so much more that I want. I guess that’s how God created us: beings whose desires never end.

I’d like to talk about wealth. Yes, people say money doesn’t buy happiness, and even though I don’t know that for sure, I still want a good amount of it. I’m being completely honest. I want a beach house, an apartment in the city, and a little lodge up on a mountain where I can escape. I’d also love a Tesla Model S and probably all the latest high-tech innovations of the time, but I don’t understand how having these desires are bad. I know that my desires are all material objects, and that the motives behind possessing these items are based on personal gain, but life is short. Why not enjoy it?

An intellectual may respond that I haven’t discovered the true meaning of my life. Well, I’m okay with that. I’ll definitely make sure to post another essay whenever I have that realization. For now though, I’m going to work as hard as I can to achieve the things that I want from my life, no matter how self-centered or “material” they might sound.

Well, of course, I also need other things like a fun group of friends and interesting work to keep me busy. My point is that all these things, when put together, truly make me happy.

Therefore, live life to your fullest. Be fun, be crazy, and be smart. Make the most out of every single day by doing what matters.