When I was in elementry school I usually got a new pair of sneakers at the beginning of the school year that would last me until the next one. I loved getting new shoes and wanted to wear them as soon as I got them, but my mom wouldn't let me wear them until the first day of school. That made the first day of school all the more special and I looked forward to it because in the morning I got to put on my new shoes and wear them around for the first time. Then one year I got a new pair, and perhaps it was because she was so tired of listening to my pleas to wear my new shoes, but my mom let me start wearing them a few days before school started. Of course it still felt great to wear them, but the first day of school was different. I woke up the moringing hoping that somehow during the night the shoes had magically turned new again and that I hadn't worn them at all. I wanted that feeling of excitment and anticipation back about being able to wear them for the first time, but my hopes were in vain. I had already worn my shoes and nothing could change that. They still looked new and clean, and I think I even had them packaged up in the box, but it wasn't the same. I was somewhat dissapointed that day and felt that I had cheated myself out of something better by giving in early.

I think that little experiance ended up having a profound impact on my way of thinking. Waiting can be hard, but don't give in and cheat yourself out of something better or end up being dissapointed later on. The best things aren't those that come from instant gratification.