I fell asleep at 17 and woke to a strange, new reality. I was now 35, married with two boys. As the dream progressed, I learned that I lived back home in my small town, and I had married someone from my home town. We lived around the corner from his parents and only minutes away from mine. We have one large cat, a Maine Coon that thinks she’s a dog and insists on waking us when daylight breaks. I also find that in this dream, I have a fun and rewarding job at the School Foundation office. In my office hangs a degree from the University of Alabama and a plaque from my time as President of the local Rotary Club. I fall back asleep, thinking I’ll wake up and the year will be 2003. I’ll be on Walnut Street with my parents in my old bedroom, with my box of letters and photos of friends that took 3 whole days to develop. Instead, I awake and I am still an adult. Funny, how did that happen? I am fairly certain when I went to bed several days ago, I had just walked across the field and received my high school diploma.

To the Class of 2021, one day, you too will wake and realize that life as John Lennon put it is what happens when you are busy making other plans. Take this time when you are young to do things that scare the hell out of you. No, nothing illegal but challenge yourself. Only when we challenge ourselves can we make changes and improve. Travel, see the world, bartend for a summer. Childhood friends will always be important but college friends, they help us grow up and become the people we are meant to become.

Fall in love, fall out of love, take the time to find your lobster.You are too young to understand Friends‘ references but please go watch Friends.

Learn the value of a dollar. Live on your own and try as best you can to not depend on your parents. There is something so satisfying about paying your own way. You learn to appreciate things so very much more.

Savor every minute you can with your parents. Only God knows how long they have on this Earth. Your mom, she is and will become your best friend. Same goes with your grandparents.

Eat cake. Eat pizza. Eat all the Chic Fil A your little heart desires. Eat it all but in moderation. Take care of your body. You only have one. Start habits now that you can take with you so when you’re 35, it want be too hard to go for that walk or play tennis.

Find something every day to be thankful for (I promise there is a lot) and laugh. Laugh often and so hard, tears stream down your face. When you feel there’s no one to turn to, remember there’s someone up above who loves you.

Change the world-one person at a time. You will never know the power of kindness to just one person.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Process is so much more rewarding than the result.

Don’t blame your mistakes on the environment, other people, the President, or circumstances. Own these mistakes. Make mistakes- lots of them but also learn from them.

Choose to be the positive person. Don’t go on rants on social media. Social media will not solve your problems and don’t compare yourself to others online. What you see online is not reality. It’s a race- sometimes you are ahead, sometimes you are behind. It’s your race not someone else’s.

When all else fails, choose love. Faith, Hope, and Love but the greatest of these is Love.