Time flies. It seems like just yesterday I was playing my first

Beauden Barrett, warrior of the rugby field, once reflected with humility and wonder: “Time flies. It seems like just yesterday I was playing my first game against Ireland, when I came off the bench, full of energy and flying into tackles, even though I couldn’t tackle back then.” These words, though spoken in the realm of sport, ring with a truth that belongs to all mankind: that life moves swiftly, youth passes quickly, and our first steps of passion soon become cherished memories.

The meaning of his reflection lies in the fleeting nature of time. What once seemed like the dawn of a journey quickly becomes the memory of years past. Barrett recalls his first appearance, filled with energy, courage, and recklessness, even in inexperience. He acknowledges that though his skills were still forming, his spirit carried him into the fray. And in this, he reminds us that beginnings are precious not because they are perfect, but because they are alive with fire.

This theme is echoed throughout history. Consider the words of Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-emperor of Rome, who often wrote of time as fleeting and life as but a moment. To him, the measure of life was not how long we lived, but how fully we lived within the passing days. In Barrett’s reflection, we hear the same note: that it is not mastery alone, but the courage to throw oneself into the struggle, that marks the beauty of our early steps.

We may also look to the life of Wilma Rudolph, the Olympic sprinter who overcame polio in her youth to become the fastest woman in the world. She too began untrained, clumsy, and frail, yet with energy and determination she grew into greatness. Later, when looking back on her youth, she often marveled at how swiftly the years had passed, and how the struggles of yesterday became the foundation of triumph today. Like Barrett, she bore witness to the truth that time flies, and one must seize the present while it is given.

The lesson for us is twofold. First, do not despise small beginnings. The passion of your early steps, even if imperfect, is the seed of all future greatness. Second, cherish the passing of days, for they move more quickly than we often realize. What seems like “just yesterday” soon becomes the story we tell others, and the opportunities of today, once lost, may never return.

In practice, this means throwing yourself fully into the present moment. Do not wait until you are perfect to begin, for none are perfect at the start. Begin with energy, embrace mistakes as teachers, and let experience refine you. At the same time, honor the gift of time by being mindful: give yourself wholly to your work, your loved ones, and your dreams, for the years slip silently away.

Therefore, children of tomorrow, remember Beauden Barrett’s wisdom: time flies, and youth passes like the wind. Do not wait to act, for the present is your only field of play. Embrace your inexperience with courage, for energy will carry you where skill has not yet arrived. And when you look back, you will not regret the imperfections of your beginnings, but you will rejoice that you dared, that you tried, and that you filled your brief days with life.