Listen, kids...

Isn't it interesting when you finally realize that the adults have been right all along? That you should've followed their advice, but thought that in your case, things would be different, so you didn't. And then after all is said and done, you slump your shoulders in resignation and say, "You were right, I was wrong. You knew what you were talking about." And then you decide as you slowly stand and hold up your head that when someone else asks you similar questions about life that you asked other adults, you will give them the same answer the adults gave you, and implore these poor angsty teens to listen and take your advice, because it's right. It's right because you found out by experience, just as the adults have.

Parents (or relatives, or any adults) are constantly trying to protect their children (or any young person) from repeating their own mistakes. And we need to listen. They went through it all, just like we're going to. We'd be much better off listening to them and doing what they say. Experiencing life's lessons is definitely effective, but we could spare ourselves a bit of pain by listening.

I realize that everyone who reads this blog is a good kid, so I'm not saying much you haven't already heard. But I was struck with the realization last night, as I laid in bed unable to fall asleep (major insomnia, I'm not kidding) with moonlight spilling over my pillow. It hit me. So I wrote this pretty much for me.
But who knows, maybe someone will find it interesting...