Someone recently shared a photo of my 10th grade school class (1998).

I was scrolling through Facebook and there it was, a moment that’s approximately 6,850 days old today. And here I was, with dilating pupils staring at my fellow pupils.

I was clearly lost in translation, but I felt a sense of joy that I hadn’t felt (online) in a while. It was surely different from the everyday photos that I scroll or swipe through so frequently.

I instantly reminisced about my school days — for the photograph reflected a time (state of mind) that I now see as a great example of what it truly means to be present or to live in the here and now.

It also reflected a time where being yourself was a given. To be honest, I don’t even remember it being a thing — let alone remember anyone actually say the words “Be yourself!” or “Why don’t you be yourself?”.

I guess we just were, everyone was — however we were, whatever it was.

We were different, but somehow in it together. We were present but not just for roll-calls. We made the most of today and everything we had, ignorant to the tomorrow or the things we could have.

Mind you, the photograph also reflected a time when we did not take photos for others to view but for us to collect. A time when we rushed to be the first to look at fresh prints, and not to check or approve if it was good enough for Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Don’t get me wrong, as much as I love being lost in the woods, I do appreciate a great internet connection — especially when I find one. The key was always to find balance and not overdo anything; something I feel comes with ease when you are conscious of the here and now.

Besides life wasn’t necessarily simpler back then, it was just made to be. With limited access to a mere percentage of the technology we have today, a severe lack of distraction tied in amazingly well with the idea of being present — unknowingly helping us be the best version of our true selves while staying connected to things that truly mattered.

“ We are the sum total of our experiences. Those experiences — be they positive or negative — make us the person we are, at any given point in our lives. And, like a flowing river, those same experiences, and those yet to come, continue to influence and reshape the person we are, and the person we become. None of us are the same as we were yesterday, nor will be tomorrow. ” —B.J. Neblett

So when I look back, I feel blessed to have been part of a generation that did not know any better than what the present at the time had to offer. The lesser everything was, the more it all became.

And as soon as I look forward, I can’t help but be grateful for having experienced the best of both worlds (offline + online) knowing it’s only preparation for whatever comes next.

Remember, what I was then is not what I am today, and what I am today is not what I’ll be tomorrow — but here I am, just being myself.