He Said It Like a Joke. But I Never Forgot.

It was just another physics class in 11th grade. Our teacher stood at the front, chalk in hand. “Next question,” he said. “Halley’s Comet comes every 76 years. Last time was 1986—before you were born. So… when’s the next time?” Someone muttered, “2061.” “Exactly. Easy one.” He smiled. “You’ll all live to see it. I won’t.” He said it lightly, almost as a throwaway line. But the room went quiet for a second too long. None of us were thinking about comets after that. He probably went back to teaching, forgot he even said it. But I didn’t. That one moment—the reminder that our futures stretch longer than someone else’s— has stayed with me more than anything I learned that year. It’s strange what sticks: Not the equations. Not the test scores. Just a passing sentence about a comet and the people who won't be around to see it. #UnspokenThings #MomentsThatStay #GrowingUpFast #TimeWeDontHave