A Lesson Learned

I often find it hard to think about the future and where I want to go and what I want to do with my life. I've been in school for just over 5 years now and will soon be finishing up and heading off into the great unknown. It's scary to move on from something I've been doing for a while and someplace I'm comfortable and a city I know pretty well. But at the same time, I can feel that old familiar "chomping a the bit" feeling. Remember that from grade school or college? That, "Let me outta here! I'm ready to fly!" feeling? Yeah, I get that sometimes. So last Friday, I attended a happy hour / talk given by 4 past members of our program on what they've done since they graduated and what their jobs are like. It was a really interesting talk; it was great to see some familiar faces. But it was also such a great reminder that life is a journey, not a destination. I have such a hard time remembering that sometimes; it's great to be reminded of it. When I was in college, I worked my ass off, sometimes taking 20 units (during a quarter, it's not that easy!). I would spend hours in the library or at the UCen studying, writing papers, catching up on literature. I did make time for my friends and I did get to spend a lot of time on the beach (studying, of course!) and, altogether, I really had a blast. But my last quarter at school, I really started to look around. I started to appreciate my lectures and the teachers who were giving them. I started to look at my fellow students in a different light. I started to "stop and smell the roses", so to speak. I hung out with my friends a lot more, invited new people to our parties, attended as many fun things as I could. I went out on dates with guys I would never have considered dating before. I met people and enjoyed them and really had such a great time. It made my last few months at school so much more special. And when I think about college, I think about those last few months and it always puts a smile on my face. Why isn't my life more like that? I am always working to get somewhere, do something, reach some sort of arbitrary goal without stopping to appreciate my surroundings and my life as I know it. And it all happens so fast. People come and go, the seasons change, the earth keeps spinning, yet I am always working to make something happen, can't wait til this is over, etc. Life is a journey and we all make our own paths. There's not one right or wrong way to do something. We'll all get there someday. But today, I'm going to try to remember to stop, appreciate, and notice what's going on around me. Maybe you should try it, too :)