First Time Living

Adults always seemed certain to me when I was younger. The way the teachers used to answer immediately to the question asked with curiosity, the way the adults could make decisions so easily and the way parents could carry their lives so easily, as if they completely understood it. It made me feel as if they knew everything and could never make a mistake. As children, we believed that growing up meant becoming someone who’s got everything figured out. But the older I get, the more I realize that we are all improvising life, and mistakes are our true soulmate.

One of the strangest things about being a human is that it’s everyone’s first time living. No one has lived this exact day before. No one has been this version of themselves before. Even adults whom we find certain and experienced have never dealt with or lived today before. They’re still facing new fears and new responsibilities. The mother raising her teenager is learning as much as the teenager currently is. The teachers might know everything about their related subject, but privately, they might be facing confusing situations in their lives. 

Our society admires confidence. People who seem more confident are admired, whereas those making mistakes and learning from them are considered embarrassing. This has put constant pressure on today’s teenagers to force themselves into course books so that they won't appear as academic failures in the eyes of society. Adults are forcing themselves to pretend everything is okay when, deep down, they’re struggling in life. So many people out there are living a fake life. All to avoid the judgmental side of society. 

 “Mistakes are something to be shameful about.” Our society has dug this thought into our minds, making us constantly blame ourselves if the decision we make results in something unfortunate. But mistakes are the reason the most successful people are well known today. Mistakes aren't something to be embarrassed about. We should take every mistake made in our lives as a lesson to become better people.  Humans are simply people trying to understand existence while experiencing it. Mistakes don't resemble your failure in life; they’re signs that you are living a true life. 

Realising that it’s everyone’s first time experiencing life makes people easier to forgive. The anxious parent, the back-stabbing friend, the strict teacher, they are all human beings trying to live a life without a guidebook for every moment. Some people end up hurting others because they themselves are very confused, afraid, or overwhelmed. Understanding this doesn't excuse cruelty, but it surely does create compassion.

 As a teenager myself, I have come to realise that the major reason for people forgetting that everyone is living life for the first time is social media. As we step into the world of social media, where one expresses their lifestyle filled with joy and happiness, we start to compare our own lives to theirs, gradually developing the feeling of insecurity. We start blaming ourselves for not being as good as the people we see online. However, the truth is that even those social media users posting their daily lives may be going through difficult moments behind the scenes. After all, we can never truly know what a person is dealing with unless they choose to say it out loud. 

In the end, not everyone is perfect at everything. So, chase your interests without fear of not being perfect and making mistakes. Be kind to yourself and others. After all, it's your first time living. It’s everyone’s first time living.