When Is It "Time To Try Life On For Size"?

Take a moment to reflect on the personality, philosophies, and priorities that you had in your life when you were eighteen years old. If you're not eighteen yet, try and guess what those parts of your life are going to be like. If you are eighteen right now, then the questions I have in today's blog are absolutely for you to ponder.

So, we're putting ourselves into the shoes we wore around the time we were finishing high school. If you weren't technically finishing (like myself, who failed my last year quite miserably), this can still apply. I've been considering the reason that society expects us to make of the most serious life decisions we're ever left to make in our entire lives at the unseasoned, young age of eighteen.

What are you going to go to school for? What's your major going to be? What do you want to do FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?

Society says, "DECIDE NOW!", but how can this possibly be expected to happen at all?!

Personally, when I was eighteen years old, I didn't have a clue. Well, I'm sure I had a few ideas, but no true aspirations or motivation to dive in and pursue such dramatically important responsibilities as knowing what I was going to eventually support a family doing. I didn't even want a family at eighteen. I was an inexperienced, ignorant, yet blossoming, adolescent boy. I have no problem admitting that now, but if you were to ask me seven years ago, I would've bent over backwards to make you believe that everything I stood for was completely justified, wise, and better than yours.

At eighteen, I knew that I despised the education system. School was a waste of my time and George Bush was the reason for most of my problems on top of it all. I knew that playing in a band was more important than my classes at the local community college would ever be. I even knew I wasn't ever going to have kids. I knew a lot.

In retrospect, yes, almost all of my views, opinions, and philosophies have since evolved into ones I want to believe are more mature and rational in these short few years since my eighteenth. I can laugh at myself, sure, but does that mean I'm not going to be able to look back at myself in this moment a few years from now and do the same thing? I obviously could never know. The important thing is, that at some point in those years since, I've found something for myself to focus on. A goal, you know? A destination that finally floats on my horizons in a soft light of hopefulness. Will it change? Maybe. Probably. Part of me believes that it constantly should. The blog's called "Onwards & Upwards" for that reason (among many others),  folks.

So, enough about me. Let's talk about you! What do you do? Where did you go to school? What was your major?

Exactly. There's way too much focus put on those sort of questions in society. Back off, people. Take your time. Be patient. The truly wise will always tell you that if something is meant to happen, it's going to happen when it's the right time. That it'll happen for a reason too. We all know how stressful it can be to find ourselves standing in the open without a direction to walk in. I'm just saying that you shouldn't force it. Everyone finds their bearings eventually. Don't pretend to know it. Don't convince yourself it's right just because "time's up" and people tell you that you'll fall too far behind and be left in the dust by your peers.

Life's long. It's usually up to the individual to take the optimistic approach to it. Just know that you've got all the time in the world to finish growing up, find yourself, discover your truest passions, and embrace them in a timely manner.

The warm, sunny days are almost here, Chicago suburbs. Lift your heads up, enjoy the summer, let yourself get distracted, and hopefully you'll be lucky enough to stumble across your path in the midst of it all.

Cousins and Comrades

You've fallen down a well. You're lost in the woods. You wake up in an unfamiliar place and can't seem to get your bearings straight. How much time passes until you begin to simply wish that someone was there with you?

So, who is it? Who would you wish to have close at hand to pull you through this dilemma? Your mother, father, brother, sister, son or daughter? Your husband, wife, boyfriend, or girlfriend? Your best friend in the whole, wide world or perhaps an older, wiser grandparent? What about your trusty canine or feline friend? (or in the case of my examples, I suppose you'd want your travel guide most off all, eh?)

I was asking myself these questions recently and figured there's no better place to address such a topic.

My younger brother (who's currently residing in Virginia Beach, VA) was in town for two days last week. I had already come up with the subject of this blog, but didn't really allow myself the time or energy to get around to writing it out until today (one week late). I was pleased to discover, however, that a few of my seemingly ambiguous readers were disappointed by this. To them, along with a confession of flattery, I offer an apology. I'm sorry if they had to wait around for this, but hopefully today's blog will alleviate any anxiousness they may have experienced. I'd like to be able to promise that it won't ever happen again, but "real life" doesn't wear a wristwatch does it?

Anyway, let's get back on topic, shall we?

Which person (or people) in your life would you do anything for? What are the honest limitations? You might take a bullet (or catch a grenade for someone). You might just be that shoulder to cry on. Now who would do anything for you? Who's your dry shoulder? Who's going to catch that grenade for you? Though part of me understands it, I don't want to believe that there are actually people out there that don't have anyone at all to rely on. I can't accept that somebody out there isn't depended on by another somehow. Humans are entirely too socially sustained for this to be possible in my mind. We live to share, don't we?

Tomorrow, if accessible, get ahold of you grandparents. Check in with them and make sure that they're still doing fine. Make sure that they know the same about you. They'll miss you a little less today. When you're conversation's over, your mom and/or dad would most definitely appreciate you taking a moment to catch up with them. I'm willing to bet that your husband or wife wouldn't mind if you told them you loved and appreciate them today. I'm also willing to bet that they'll send those same words right back to you. Maybe you could light a candle in your girlfriends heart some afternoon soon by simply sending her flowers or chocolates. Just go curl up with your dog or cat for a few minutes. Take a nap with them. They'll curl right back. It's a beautiful day outside, take your kids to the park. They'll smile, laugh, and grow. Meet your brother or sister for dinner and drinks tomorrow night while you're at it. You'll smile, laugh, and grow. Who cares if you have to initiate all of this? Someday, you have to trust that they'll return the favor.

Point is, you won't be allowed this sort of costless contact forever, reader. Be gracious for this quick minute we are fortunate enough to spend on this planet. Don't ever neglect how immeasurably opportune these moments of our exiguous lifetimes are. We're surrounded by people that want nothing but the best for us. Family, friends, and comrades that wish only for your love, acceptance, and honesty. So, give and you shall receive, reader. And thanks for reading, friend.

I'm going to close this one with a great line of lyrics that pertains to the topic quite well;
"Always remember there was nothing worth sharing like the love that let us share our name".
-The Avett Brothers