When we were in elementary school, we learned the basics to everything in life, and the goal was to make it to high school. In high school, we buckled up for a competitive 4 years all with the determination to go to college. Upon arrival to college, we remained poised to prep ourselves for a future career, all while becoming accustomed to a new social dynamic. And on our commencement day, we were inaugurated into that so-called "real world."
Now here we are, past the social high-life of 21 year olds, reaching the quarter-life, and have logged more than a few thousand hours of experience in our chosen careers. We've achieved all of our previously set goals. Now what's next?
There are no certainties going forward. We have not set any mandates for ourselves. The major life necessities have all been acquired. Do we go to grad school? Do we buy a house or rent an apartment? Do we stay in our comfort zone or do we move to new frontiers? Do we continue to date or do we get married? Do we have kids? How do we afford this? How do we get that? Who can we seek advice from? Is this true? Can this be? Are you sure? Is it necessary? What if...? A crisis, indeed.
There is an abundance of options and roads to take. We have the colorful imaginations to dream the best and the power to make those dreams come to fruition.
I suppose that the best way to summarize this all is from an excerpt from a movie I recently watched (again).
In the closing scene of Back to the Future III, Jennifer appeals to Doc Brown on the disappearance of a fax she brought back from the future.
Jennifer: I brought this note back from the future and...now it's erased!
Doc: Of course it's erased!
Jennifer: But what does that mean?
Doc: It means that your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has. Your future is
whatever you make it. So make it a good one. Both of ya!
Marty: We will, Doc!
Good luck to us all in our future endeavors!
I feel like a 1/4-life crisis doesn't always happen at age 25...seems like it's an everlasting reorganization to create the best and comfortable life possible. If we're not experiencing the quarter-life ourselves, we're bringing up children that are going through it. I can only think of one song by John Mayer that epitomizes this very thought: Wheel lyrics
ReplyDeletePeople have the right to fly
And will when it gets compromised
Their hearts say "Move along"
Their minds say "Gotcha heart"
Let's move it along
Let's move it along
And airports
See it all the time
Where someone's last goodbye
Blends in with someone's sigh
Cause someone's coming home
In hand a single rose
And that's the way this wheel keeps working now
That's the way this wheel keeps working now
And I won't be the last
No I won't be the last,
To love her
And you can't build a house of leaves
And live like it's an evergreen
It's just a season thing
It's just this thing that seasons do
And that's the way this wheel keeps working now
That's the way this wheel keeps working now
And you won't be the first
No you won't be the first
To love me
You can find me, if you ever want again
I'll be around the bend
I'll be around the bend
I'll be around,
I'll be around
And if you never stop when you wave goodbye
You just might find if you give it time
You will wave hello again
You just might wave hello again
And that's the way this wheel keeps working now
That's the way this wheel keeps working now
You can't love too much, one part of it (repeat then fade)
I believe that my life's gonna see
The love I give
Return to me
I believe that my life's gonna see
The love I give
Return to me
I believe that my life's gonna see
The love I give
Return to me [repeat 1x]
**sorry for the bizarre post; the weather is making me feel introspective**