Oxygen

Mom once asked me if there is a topic in particular which would interest teenagers and not bore them out in Dhamma talks. I answered her coldly, "Impermanence."

If I knew when I was 15 that there was no significance to be popular in school I could have used all those times spending hours on the mirror reflecting on my possible physical defects to experiment different beauty tools with my best friend and then laugh at our silly moments years later. All those times imagining grand ideas to celebrate my Sweet 16 (perpetuated by MTV) were futile when really, turning a year older isn't that big of a deal anymore.
If I knew when I was 16 that second chances do not come that easily I would have taken every chance that I wanted to without the fear of humiliation. There were plenty of things that I wanted to do. Join the cheerleading club, participate in an outdoor event, sneak out of the house (which I gladly did), auditioned for drama club and many more but all those desires turned into desires from the fear of public embarassment.
If I knew when I was 17 that days in school are temporary I would have read more.
If I knew when I was 18 that actions in the past affects the future, I would have studied harder despite knowing that it wasn't my interest.

Impermanence.