You Only Live Once #YOLO

The #YOLO is everywhere. By everywhere, I mean mostly on Facebook posts of young people doing stupid things. But really, it's kind of become this mini-movement. Drake sings/raps about it, one of those stupid young heart throb guys (Justin Bieber? Zach Efron?) tattooed it on their hand. The Washington Post did an article on #YOLO and this is an excerpt - "YOLO, or “You only live once,” is sort of a teen interjection for “Carpe Diem.” Only it’s short on the noble idea of living life to its fullest — and more focused on brash decisions and their consequences."

Don't get me wrong, I don't disagree that you only live once (it's a fact people), but I'm just kind of upset about what this has become and what it COULD have become. When it comes down to it, our life on earth is short and that's what #YOLO is about, but how our life is executed based on that principle is what irks me.

I never see really positive, exciting statuses featuring #YOLO. It's always really stupid stuff usually involving reckless behavior, alcohol, drugs, or all of the above. And I get it. Please don't think I do. I know I act like a grumpy 80 year-old lady 95% of the time, but please remember I'm 23. That's young. I get it, and I got it even more about eight years ago. Because as young people, we constantly and consistently make bad decisions, and then try to find people or ways to validate them as being legitimate ways of living. Welcome to high school... for everyone. So now, young people don't even need friends to tell us how cool our "Demi Bad" tattoo is (Yes, this is a real tattoo Nate's 15 year old cousin has... her name is Demi, but anyone who doesn't know this would just assume that she was "sort of bad" based on the tattoo or maybe that demi-bad was how the tattoo rated for artistic quality). Young people don't need friends to tell them how awesome it is that they out-drank everyone, took our pants off, and jogged around the neighborhood and still managed to score with our crush — because now there is #YOLO. The #YOLO is there to validate you when you're hungover and feeling empty.


I think the reason I hate this #YOLO movement so much is because of what it could have been. Because life DOES have #YOLO moments. But they generally don't involving drinking too much, driving too fast, getting tattoos, or anything like that. Want to hear my #YOLO moments?

• My husband is pursuing a call to ministry, and even though we don't know what the future holds, we're moving our little family to plant a church because we feel called by God. #YOLO
• Last year, my great grandmother who I loved with all my heart passed away. I hadn't seen her in nearly five years because it broke my heart to see her in her severe deterioration from Alzheimer's, but when I knew she was going to pass, I visited her nursing home by myself for the first and last time to tell her good-bye and that I love her, even though I was terrified. #YOLO
• I started dating my husband when I was 16, and instead of giving up when times got hard (real hard) or believing people when they called it "puppy love," we worked our butts off to create a relationship that would stand the test of time and committed to never give up on each other. #YOLO

"You only live once" is a fact. It shouldn't be a scare tactic, but it shouldn't be a validation for being an idiot, either. When you find your validation in a faith in Christ, you still only live once... but it's forever. And it's a life with purpose and meaning. So remember that. #YOLO