A picture of me when I was 17

It got me thinking.

If I knew then what I know now, what would I have told me when I was 17?

Well, I can’t turn back the clock, but I don’t have to think twice to see the one in the pic clearly is me. Therefore, first things first, it better be true.

I replaced lying with the truth years ago so I don’t have to remember anything anymore. Now the truth is as natural as I am.

“You did well beyond the shadow of a doubt. Without you, I wouldn’t be here. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!”…

…I say to the boy in the photograph, not just once but repeatedly so I hear it clearly now.

You could do better

Though I had been doing my damn best from the start, even before I was born, I entered and grew up in a world of could-do-better.

Could-do-better wasn’t just about me of course, it was about the weather too, to name a few.  Sure, I was a handful then but so was the weather. What isn’t when you’re young, eh?

My parents had been told I had learning difficulties. What that meant I didn’t have a clue, but I didn’t care for it was my key heaven-sent for hating school with a now perfectly legit excuse of which I took full advantage to say the least.

Everything about school was right. Everything about me was wrong, Not ideal for keeping the self-esteem of a kid where it belonged. But hey, I didn’t know then what I know now. I didn’t know we all go to school and get over it in the end. Isn’t that so?

The constant could-do-better led me to wishing for what the others had got. It also led me to experience boredom and panic, depending on circumstances, with back then no idea what Circum’s dances were supposed to look like.

Be it as it may, I loved hanging out with others like me which didn’t get me anywhere but felt like the safe thing to do and the best years of my being alive thus far.

However, the memories aren’t fun. On the contrary, I was alone and I was cold as ice when that photograph was taken long ago.

My existence is different now

Though some word-users keep telling me I could do better, my experience is different now. I understand they also have a motivation, just a different one.

The truth doesn’t exist. Each word-user has their own.

All there is to it is knowing what you want .

All I want is see the story of words told at school.

Why would I want that? Why would I want to be on mission impossible?

Because 13,750 years ago — when the age was stone, the Sahara green, and Northern Europe under 1-mile-thick ice — the word and word-user were invented, they revolutionised evolution.

They can do it again. I’m not saying they will. All I’m saying is give the word and word-users a second chance.

Takeaway

Pay attention to words.

Not later for later you’ll be dead.

Pay attention to words now.

PS.

You can sign up for my weekly newsletter. Every Tuesday you’ll find in it bespoke solutions to help you build the life of your dreams.