We’ve all been there. When we were five, we wanted to be astronauts. At seven, artists. At ten, athletes. At fifteen, doctors. Our dreams and plans for the future changed as suddenly as our favorite colors and foods, and we didn’t mind. After seeing Step Up, we wanted to take dance classes, but quickly decided after reading To Kill A Mockingbird in eighth grade English class that the practical job of being a lawyer would quench our desire to be needed and fair in this often unfair world.
We were no stranger to spontaneous decisions at those times in our lives, but somewhere along the way we let fear and indecision get the better of us. If we already decided to be an engineer, we let our passion for music become a hobby and only think of playing concerts for thousands at night when we dreamt. Maybe that’s the practical choice, the smart way to think, but it leaves a lot to be desired. Happiness, for one.
For those who, like me, have just finished their first year of college, there is still time. For those who have graduated and realized that the past four years of their life was spent studying something they have no interest in, there is still time. For those who are parents and believe there is no time to pursue that passion that once kept them afloat in the monotonous classrooms of their youth, there is still time.
And not just for those who are creative but chose the practical path, but everyone else, too. There is still time for that actor to become an accountant, too. Those baristas who want to go to medical school. Those doctors who want to open bookstores. Until your last breath, there is still time.
And I think that’s where we all get stuck in our thinking.
The other day, I was flipping through channels on the television and found The Fault In Our Stars. This is going to seem a bit dreamy and romantic, but I watched, thoughtful, as Augustus Waters stood up in the middle of the support group circle and declared that he feared oblivion. I wondered about how I spend my time, how some days I watch way too much TV and interact with no one. However, for the most part, I feel okay about this, because sometimes I want to be alone. I want to stay in my pajamas and watch movies and play with my dogs in the comfort of my home. The part that I would like to change, though, is finding the right balance. I think building a routine is going to help me do this, so I’ve been working on that.
And this is all a long-winded way of saying that life is too short to accept your path and be afraid of changing dreams. I know; it took a corny John Green movie adaptation to make me realize that there are areas of my life at which I need to take a hard look and switch directions, but I’m glad it happened.
Hopefully, from reading this article, you can find out what areas of your life are worth examining. As scary as it is, go back to school. Find your true love. Repair your relationship with your dad. Ask for a promotion. Go out more. Make friends. Accept yourself. Love yourself. Be yourself.
