Growth is inevitable regardless of how unlikely it seems or how invisible it looks; one way or another it's taking shape, and by the time you take out time to reminisce on the past and reflect on all you've been through, that's when you'll realize how much has changed over the years. I, for one, didn't, in plain sight, notice any big changes when I reflect on my life from the past two decades, and now, of course, I'd be lying or ungrateful if I said there are no changes because there are lots of them; it's just that most aren't in plain sight, or it's probably because I haven't achieved most of the things I laid out for myself at the present age I am, so without further ado, let's take a delve down memory lane as I reflect on changes through those years.
Fifteen years ago I was an undergraduate at the university, and when we look at twenty years ago, I was still a high school student, and to tell you the truth, when it comes to personality, there haven't been many changes from the person I was then to who I am presently, in values as well; it's pretty much the same value with just a bit of addition that has helped shape my life into the right direction. Fast forward to present day, I've not only graduated from college but am also working and making ends meet via this job. Truth be told, it wasn't what I envisioned, but it's paying the majority of the bills, so it's something.
Talking about some of the noticeable changes or growth I've experienced through this period, one of them would be regarding my confidence, public speaking, and all that revolves around it. You see, I'm the type who grew up being very timid, shy, and reserved, and given the nature of the world and my kind of work, you need to come out of your shell to grab the bull by the horn if you want to thrive, and I had to be deliberate about improving on these aspects, which has now greatly improved, if I'm to say the truth. To others it might not be exceptional, but I must say that the kind of conversation I've had and the audience I address in recent times are a testament to the positive changes that have taken place.
Talking about if my previous self were to see my present self today, how would it feel? To be honest, I think it'll feel indifferent, probably a little disappointed based on my financial status, as I had envisioned I'd be in a far better position than I'm at the moment, but then life happens. It'll also probably be disappointed or surprised that I'm yet to get married, given the fact that I used to talk about getting married and starting a family of my own, but it's just me at the moment, so I guess life happens again. But then I think overall, he'd be proud of my resilience to keep striving to be a better version of myself, how far I've come, and what I've achieved.
Like I said earlier, there haven't been many changes, but then talking about the time I began to notice changes the most, I'd say it was the time when I began to fall sick more often, about ten years ago or so. That changed almost everything for me: the way I see life, the decisions I made, and my approach towards life generally. But then I must say that it's all for the good, although it feels like a disappointment and a burden, but then beyond that, it's a wake-up call to live more intentionally and make the most of life while I can.
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All photos are mine.
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