You’re in the Good Old Days (Try Not to Panic)

Over the weekend, I finished re-watching The Office—again. It’s my go-to comfort show, my emotional support sitcom. No matter what kind of mood I’m in, it’s there, like an old friend who somehow never gets tired of my company.

But that last episode? Oh boy. That one wrecks me every time.

I sat there, remote in hand, paralyzed by the weight of nostalgia, all thanks to a single line from the great philosopher of our time—Andy Bernard:

“I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.”

Oof. Right in the feelings.

Andy says this during the finale, when the whole office staff reunites after their documentary has aired. They’re reminiscing, laughing, feeling bittersweet about the time they spent together. Andy, now working at Cornell, realizes that the days he spent at Dunder Mifflin—annoying his coworkers with a cappella solos and questionable leadership skills—were actually some of the best days of his life.

This time, it truly struck me: We are all just bumbling through life, blissfully unaware that right now might be the very moment we’ll one day look back on with longing.

As the final episode faded to black, I sat there in stunned silence, questioning everything. My mind drifted to my own “good old days”—the moments I barely noticed as they passed, yet now shimmer like gold in hindsight.

Like that one late-night office session with two colleagues. We were exhausted, buried in work, surviving purely on caffeine and mutual delusion. But in between all that, we were laughing—really laughing—the kind of laughter that makes you forget time exists. In that moment, it felt like we’d be a trio forever.

But, spoiler alert: time said, “LOL, nope.”

One by one, life did what life does—they moved, changed jobs, and drifted into new chapters. The moments that felt like they’d stretch into eternity are now years in the past.

It’s a weird realization. You don’t wake up one day and suddenly feel nostalgia settle in. It sneaks up on you—one random Saturday, while watching The Office, no less—and suddenly you’re left wondering:

Did I even appreciate those moments while they were happening? Or was I too busy worrying about the next big thing to realize I was already living something incredible?

This realization is equal parts terrifying and liberating. Because the truth is, the future is uncertain. Maybe you’ll win the lottery. Maybe you’ll trip over absolutely nothing in front of a large crowd. Maybe both in the same week. Who knows?

But one thing is guaranteed: With each sweep of the clock’s hand, this very moment—right now—is slipping into the past, second by second, whether you acknowledge it or not.

I’m not telling you this to trigger an existential meltdown (though, if it happens, just ride the wave). I’m telling you this because it means something beautiful:

Right now, you are in the good old days.

Not last year. Not five years ago. Now.

And that means you have a choice. You can either sleepwalk through your life, rushing from one task to the next, or you can wake up and start noticing the magic in the mundane.

We spend so much time waiting for big life-changing moments—promotions, weddings, dream vacations—that we forget life is mostly made of small moments we ignore. If we understood that this is the real stuff, we’d probably:

Savor our morning coffee instead of chugging it like a life-saving elixir.
Observe our partners more attentively, cherishing the nuances of their smiles or the furrow of their brows in moments of confusion. And…actually listen to them instead of nodding while secretly scrolling through our phones.
Stand by a window during a rainstorm, appreciating the rhythm of the drops and contemplating the secret shelters of tiny insects.

These tiny moments? They’re the whole point. They’re what we’ll miss when we look back. So, we need to learn to soak in the good stuff before it’s gone.

Ever wonder why mystics, monks, and overly enthusiastic self-help gurus keep insisting that the present moment is the only reality? At first, it sounds like something people say just to sound profound—like a well-worn mantra that’s more poetic than practical.

Yet, as much as we’d love to roll our eyes at these enlightened folks, they might actually be onto something.

Life doesn’t announce when you’re in the middle of something special. There’s no flashing sign that says, “Hey, pay attention! This is one of the best moments of your life!”

We rush through our days, convinced we’re heading toward some grand destination, but guess what? This is it. Right here. Right now. The laugh you just shared, the song playing in the background, the smell of fresh coffee, the sun on your face—this is your life happening.

So, I have one small request: Pause. Breathe. Notice.

Because tomorrow, today will be history. And one day, you’ll be glad you noticed.

Cynthia A. Murungi

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