Yesterday, I had dinner with a friend, Rebecca, that I hadn’t seen in ten years. Needless to say, there was a lot to catch up on. Other than the fact that it was absolutely brilliant to see her again, she mentioned something along the lines of, “Things have changed considerably over the past ten years, but what’s funny is that now I’m pretty much close to the same as I was in grade eight.”

Which got me thinking of how I’ve changed in the past ten years since eighth grade. Of course, change is inevitable, but Rebecca was right: despite all the new places and experiences, I think I’ve become the same person I was when I was fourteen — well, with a few added pounds.

In eighth grade, I was a boy who was unafraid to love, who gave his heart to his friends, and was committed to the happiness of the people around him. I didn’t completely lose this, but relationships and experiences have definitely influenced the way I see the world and the people around me — after all, this is a defining characteristic of growing up, as people say. However, I feel today like I felt ten years ago, with a sense of selfless affection for the people in my life, though perhaps with a larger sense of worldliness and less naiveté.

Most importantly, in eighth grade, I was a boy who was excited about the future; someone who had lofty goals and aspirations, who thought the world was my oyster. Such thoughts faded quickly through the years, but I think that optimism has returned. I not only have big dreams about the world and where I am going to be, but I now also feel comfortable and confident enough with myself to pursue new horizons.

As much as I’ve grown (about 80 lbs worth of growing, actually) in the past ten years, I’ve learned a lot recently from the person I used to be. And for that, I’m thankful.