The world these days is all about fulfilling other people's expectations: Our parents, school and teachers, society, friends.... Our life has ceased to be about US anymore, or perhaps it never was. We've studied in school to please our parents, to pass our exams, to get good grades. Life was one never ending marathon of competition and proving ourselves to everyone. Our hidden talent, and passions never have a chance. But at the end of it, have we ever asked ourselves: Now what? Do we really know where we want to go now? What should our direction be?
Its the lucky few who find their direction, their passion early in life, and get to make it their life's work. Those lucky few have the courage to change their world, to take a leap of faith, and are crazy enough to pursue it with their whole heart. The rest of us, again in college, take the subjects expected of us. College may be more liberating, but we're still not completely happy, because we still haven't figured out what we want of life. And we fear, by the time we really do, it may be too late. So we settle for what we can get: A well paying job, success, and a routine life. Our dreams may just fade away, just because we never took that leap of faith, because we weren't crazy enough to pursue that musical career, or become that romance author we've secretly dreamed of, or act in that one play, however bad it may be.
I know I should follow my own advice, but here's what I think. We have just one life, and we should live it for ourselves, not to prove anything to our parents, society or friends. We should be mad enough to take that impulsive back packing trip, to write that book we've always wanted to, to tell people we love them, regardless of consequences. Most of all, we should BE the person we really are, and let the world think what it will. Live your innermost dreams, because its your life, your gift.
I really, really liked it... :)
ReplyDeleteI do agree with the last paragraph about living on our own terms and pursuing what we feel is best for ourselves : ) About the lucky few who find their passion early, I feel they simply chose a direction and went for it, with luck either being on certain people's side or not. Also I think a person can have multiple strong interests and bring them together. Like I'd like to open a cafe and ask local musicians to play live and ask local artists to put up their works for sale on my walls, and have a public tie up with an NGO so 10% of our profits goes to them ^_^
ReplyDeletep.s. I've been planning on roadtripping all the way to bhutan early next year !