Standing alone in a mass of unfamiliar faces I lean up against the rock pillar, adjusting my back to hopefully find the right groove of comfort. I anxiously awaited the bark of the fireworks which would soon illuminate the intriguing, infinite night sky with vibrant colors of captivation. Surprised by the number of anticipating residents I would have never of guessed that the Lake George waterfront could become so populated with kids relatively my age. The impulsive, adolescence immersed the atmosphere with feelings of liberation and youth, their heartbeats resonating like the sound of the fireworks itself with hopes that this summer night could last forever.
As I held down my spot of refuge I was taken by complete surprise by the abrupt feeling of a hand grasping my shoulder. Amidst all the chaos and giggling of girls who just found out that Suzy hooked up with Frank I turned to see an elderly man donning an army veteran cap and a traditional plaid button up whose worn face and antique sky blue eyes told the story of a man who has seen what this world has to offer. Greeting me with a voice that emanated the grandfatherly warmth he said “busy night huh?” Unsure how to reply to this unforeseen encounter I simply stated “Ya.” He then begun to speak and I soon became inevitably captivated as the words he spoke protruded past any perspective barrier I contained. And like the children who attended the village storyteller’s seminars about myth and legend I became enthralled by his experience and wisdom. He spoke of the concept “Prime Time,” a certain point in one’s life where they will reflect upon self fulfillment, staying true to oneself and sticking to your values. I stood amongst a sea of adolescence which this principle applied too, naïve to how we take each day for granted, never utilizing the minutes and even seconds we have to stop and look at who we are as an individual. As the words started to drift off and insinuate an eventual end to this exposure of newfound awareness this guru of generation told me that my prime time would come. With a pure, genuine smile that radiated like a beam of the sun he walked away from me with a pride that induced utmost respect. Taking a minute to venture back into reality into a scene of frantic activity I left my haven with the insecurity freed like a dove out of a cage and searched for the man with such insight to thank him. I found him exiting the restroom, and with an aurora of morality he remarked “Hey, you look familiar” and it was there I shook his hand. Two things ran past my mind, thank you and I hope he washed his hands.
As life proceeds I go by each day with a humbled sense of reality that my prime time will arrive. A time where I, as an individual will strive and take in these surroundings that fuel experience and universal knowledge, fabricating the threads of life woven into my future.