Because it is my birthday. Today I am thirty-three years old. A birthday that for the first time has me contemplating my own mortality. Best case scenario, my life is 1/3 over. In reality, it's probably closer to half over. It has made me realize that I'm not exactly where I want to be at this point in my life. It's not so much the "normal" milestones, although there are certainly some of those as well, but it's more so that I have yet to make my mark on the world.
I have options - I could sulk over this, throw myself a pity party, deny my age, etc. None of those help. Or I can use this to motivate me.
There is a quote by David Thoreau that seems applicable:
“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
It doesn't mean that you can be anything you want to be, or live the life that you imagine. This is not truly a possibility in all cases - I can't go live the life of royalty, as I am not royalty. I think what Thoreau is saying is that if we try, really try, we will come closer to the life we imagine than we think possible.
So that's what I'm vowing to do - try, but try really hard. I may not make the mark in the world I want, but I may make a mark nonetheless, which is accomplishing more than a self-loathing pity party will.
Cheers! It's my birthday!
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