There are so many young people in today’s society that have no idea what they want to do with their life. They spend four years in college to be faced with reality when graduation rears its pretty little head. Some stay in school longer, just so they can try to figure out what they really want to do for a career. Believe me, I know the scenario all too well. I was the same way, only I didn’t get a chance to finish my degree. Life and children came at me full force!

I thought I had life all figured out when I was in high school so many years ago! I won a scholarship to a reputable University, nothing Ivy League, mind you, but reputable all the same. I first wanted to be a lawyer, but I really have this thing about talking in front of people, I’m not good at it. I knew I wanted to do something where I could be regarded as “knowledgeable” in my field, I just couldn’t figure out just what that field was, so, I majored in Liberal Arts. After speaking with my counselor, I was told that the first two years were basics anyway, and that would give me time to decide what my real major would be.

Unfortunately, like I said, life rushed at me like a bull seeing red! I had some personal issues come up while I was in college that I couldn’t emotionally deal with. This set into motion the syllabus for the rest of my life, up until now. I married a man that promised me everything and gave me nothing. Wait, I can’t say that. He gave me the most precious gifts I could ever ask for, my two children. My children are what kept me going when I didn’t know where I was headed. If it weren’t for them, I couldn’t be telling you my story today. So, I guess I owe my ex-husband a thank you for that. (Maybe someday).

I went back to school a couple of times, but it was something I was already “knowledgeable” about, and not something that I really wanted. I have worked, in some degree or another, in an office since I was around 14 years old. I helped my parents with their business, so I knew how to do accounting work and administrative work. That’s what I’ve done my whole life! But, what I’ve always wanted to do, and what I still want to do, is to be a writer!

When people would ask what I wanted to do as a career, I would say “write books.” You can guess at the looks I would get. One response would always be “no, really, what do you want to do with the rest of your life?” Why is it so hard for some people to believe that writing is an actual career? I know, in all honesty, that making a living by writing books is probably not going to be a reality, but writing could definitely be a career. I could write books in my spare time while writing articles for a newspaper or a magazine.

It’s strange that so many people don’t see writing as a real career.

Back to my story. I married again. This time I married a man that loved to read and who also was a writer! He encouraged me to write! He always wanted to read my poetry, and he would find pictures and say … “write what you feel when you look at this.” He was an ego boost for me, especially after my first marriage and everything that it did to me emotionally.

I honestly didn’t know at that time, you could earn a degree in “writing.” A real degree… in writing! But, financially, I couldn’t make that happen yet. Maybe one day.

Then, life came rushing at me again. There were problems surfacing in our marriage that I couldn’t deal with; issues that he had before we were together. We argued about these issues until we were blue in the face. I would think they were “fixed” but they would always return, eventually. It got to the point where I was going to confront him with the ultimatum of “fix it now or I’m gone.” But the unthinkable happened. He was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer. I would not do that to him. He was my husband and my best friend. He never knew about the ultimatum. The next 18 months was the hardest for both of us. He was dealing with chemo and radiation and being sick while trying to put up a front for me by saying he wasn’t going anywhere. I was dealing with losing my best friend; the man who helped me to get out of a marriage that would have been a death sentence of my own. What those last 18 months gave back to me was getting to know my best friend again. For every time he told me he wasn’t going anywhere, I repeated those same words back to him.

He lost his fight. He made me promise him, excuse me, not promise (I don’t believe in promises). He made me swear to him that I would find a good man that would treat me right and make me feel like the beautiful woman I am. How could I swear something like that? I didn’t believe I deserved anyone like that. He made me swear to keep writing, and to one day tell his story. One day, I will.

I did find someone. Someone who makes me feel beautiful, and he treats me better than I ever thought I deserved. He's also shown me that what I want out of life matters just as much as what other people want.

We have similar experiences with the death of a loved one. His daughter died of leukemia the year before my husband did. I feel that we both had guardian angels watching over us, to help us find one another.

Life still comes charging at me like a bull sometimes, but the difference now is that I can handle it. I still have a “real” job, but I do what I really want to do with my life “on the side.” I write.

So, if you’re one of those that is on the fence about what you want to do with your life. Live it. A degree isn’t going to change your dreams. It’s taken me too many years to realize that. If you want to be a person who jumps out of perfectly good planes for a living then find a way, and just do it! Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re crazy. The only person that is crazy is the one that doesn’t go after what they want in life.

You have today. Today only. Don’t waste any more time on wondering what could be. Spend the time you have on making your life a life to remember! That’s what I’m doing!