There are moments I wish I could bottle up in my heart and relive with quiet reverence when I close my eyes at night. Laughing with my students in Florence; walking around mesmerized by the mountains in Salzburg; listening to stories during tea time with my grandpa; following my nose to fresh croissants at 3 a.m.—these warm my heart in bouts of nostalgia and indecision.

I miss the people, the moments, the city, the experiences. I miss who I was there. I miss being unattached.

But that was then and this is now. While those experiences will always be special, I can’t live in them for the rest of my life. Each day is a process of letting go to enjoy the next thing. It’s important to remember the past, but I can never go back. What matters is what I do next. Hold those moments close and plow forward. Though it’s frightening and unpredictable, press onward and upward.

Sometimes I think about this as I work with students. It’s refreshing to hear their perspectives and how they live day-by-day, but sometimes, when I look at their faces or see them playing on the playground, I remember they all eventually grow up. How can I help them understand how priceless this moment is, how quickly life passes by, how crucial it is to embrace the time now above all else?

It makes me sound old (but they do say with age comes wisdom).

Embracing and enjoying life now, whether it’s exciting or mundane, is something I never want to forget. It’ll be my lifelong message to everyone. Carpe diem!

Life might seem too short or too long, but go after what your heart longs for and avoid making decisions you will regret in the long run. Don’t be afraid to be honest, at least to yourself. Don’t be afraid to be afraid and continue living life and exploring in spite of it.