We live in a fast-paced, productivity-centered culture. At some point, we decide that the things making us happy are getting in the way of practicality. We deny ourselves the most basic part of the American Dream- The pursuit of happiness. I used to spend time wondering why I was writing if it could not benefit my future. To even get published is an accomplishment, and that did not serve as any kind of consistent guarantee. With thoughts such as these, we begin to search for the careers that are “real” options. With that, we abandon our dreams.

As a child, my mother always told me to never let anybody tell me no. She allowed me to continue writing as if my next story would be a bestseller. She saved and cherished ever short snippet I wrote. My desk was a space of works in progress and completed masterpieces. Every sentence gave me great pride as I took my dreams and converted them to words. They all were what you would expect of a child in elementary school- fantasies or far off lands. Even during recess, I would write stories with my friends as the main character. They would smile as they read the tales where they captured their favorite color, or explored a beach at sunset.

That did not last me long, though. When we grow up, we learn to give up things that will not give us some sort of value back. Slowly I did not have time to do the thing I loved more than anything else. Nobody had to teach me that my dreams were unrealistic; it was implied that writer was not a sufficient answer to the “what do you want to me when you grow up” inquiry. Writing had no monetary value, so why would I waste my time perusing it? Slowly the novel in my mind drifted away, and the short stories became nothing more than assignments. I remember entering a writing contest – giving myself one more chance with the dream. I came in second.

You would think this was an accomplishment. To me, that meant that I would never survive the real world competition if in my small town I was not the best. I put my pen down. When we were asked to do the career assignment in class, my inner voice was silenced as I announced, “veterinarian.” I loved animals, but I dreaded a career where I would have to see them struggling every day. I ended up giving up a lot of things because they could not be my future if I did not reign superior. I did not want to try out for the school musical, even though I acted out scenes in my room every day. I would not go to tryouts for the school basketball team despite my desire to continue playing. One by one I dropped the things that I loved in favor of what I was supposed to do.

This is the thing they did not tell me as I walked away from hobby after hobby – money is not the only measure of value. When I started my writing class at my community college, I was happy. I quit my job where I was making minimum wage in favor of time. I volunteer without a single dollar of reciprocation in favor of having experience and purpose. There are things we must do, but that does not mean we should leave behind the things we want to do. There are so many ways to measure the value of your life, remember to never limit them to material things.