17

17.
Almost everyone who knew me knew that I loved this number.
Among the many reasons?
A combination of the number '1' and '7'
Which signifies a lot of things to me.
But then, 20 May 2013 came.
I became 17. And suddenly I dreaded it.

Why?
Isn't 17 the year almost everyone dreamed of becoming?
For me, sadly no.

It was weird. On this day,
My whole family came and brought me lunch and a birthday cake .
My dearest friends, even pulled a prank at me.
On 12.00 a.m sharp, I was soaking wet, thanks to them :D




And yet, I did not like being 17.
I hated that I felt older.
I hated that I have to take SPM this year.
I hated that I did not get to enjoy as much as when I was in Form 4.
I hated that a huge burden seemed to fall right on top of me.
Expectations, expectations.
I hated all of that!
But mostly, I hated my teenage years are coming to an end.
No more fun, or joking round.
No more acting like teenagers anymore.

Suddenly, I longed to be 16.
To not study so much.
To have fun with my friends.
To let loose and enjoy as much as I can.

But that would never happen.
Life must go on.
The past is important, but only to measure how far we have come.
To quote the wise old tortoise in Kung Fu Panda :




17. My favourite number.