11/15/2023: Ready, Set…
I have about a week's worth of time left to visit my favorite coffee shop. With the holidays and our pending adventure coming up soon, I know these inspiration days are going to fly by. I can say that learning of this place and the time I’ve spent here since has been well worth it. I’ve met some great people and I’ve had some pretty great coffee. And I slowly found myself, little by little, and set forth on the path I’m now on because of the solitude I’ve found here.
This is my place, my sanctuary to get lost in words and my favorite morning drink. This time of my life will never be forgotten. It has been a wonderful journey of self discovery, of great work. I am confident that I am finally where I’m supposed to be. For once, I have no doubt about this, and for once I don’t care what the rest of the world thinks. I’m finally realizing and living my dream.
Who knew this is what I was always supposed to do? The journey of growing up is a funny one to be sure; when we’re young, no one can tell us what and who to be, and no one dares to try. As we get older, we may still be sure, but then we are told that we can’t make a living if we go down that path, we won’t make money. Then we have the self doubt that causes us to listen to the rest of the world, to fall into step and fit the mold that no one else dares to break. Then after a given amount of years of this, we either settle into this reality or we become restless.
For those who grow tired of this rat race, restlessness turns to resentment, and by then we don’t recognize ourselves, and we don’t remember our dreams. After the period of resentment we either accept our fates or we realize what we really want. Either way, this is a dark time filled with bitterness and doubt.
Eventually, those who don’t go against the status quo settle into a numb routine and make a reasonable living. But for those who come out of the dark period on the other side, a whole new world of possibilities opens up, and we remember our dreams that we used to have.
Even if we don’t want to be veterinarians or marine biologists anymore, there is something we had in us all along that comes to the surface in an unexpected way at just the right time. With the hindsight we have of letting our dreams slip away, we wonder how we lost touch with our true selves, of our real dreams. And it makes us want it even more, to hold on for dear life and to never let it go again.
And that is where I finally am. I still can’t believe this new journey of mine has only been two years long. I can’t wait to see what I make of the next couple years, and from there, the rest of my life. Whatever comes, I’m ready.