A Journey Of A Thousand Steps (Dedicated to the Class of 2015)
I know its been a while since I had a post on here but this blog is really for those moments where me, as a writer, just want to talk a bit about about my opinions or my thoughts or just plain ranting. If you're following me I say hello to you but if you are not its okay because I'm not on a regular poster so you don't have to hinge on all of my words. But if either of these parties just wants to come here and read some thoughts of a random stranger by all means you are welcome because that is what this is for. That disclaimer being said, onto my topic, well, more like my thoughts.
Today I went to the cheesecake factory. I saw loads of college graduates and lots of senior prom people. There was something kinda magical about two different groups of people being in that place but both share so much.
Ancient Chinese philosopher and poet, Laozi (or the more westernized Lao Tzu) once said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."
To start you have two, what looks to be, very different groups on the outside; but in reality these two parties are very similar.
College graduation is a big time. It's a life changer. Its a moment of sheer happiness and joy at the time of the ceremony. You are taking your first steps into a big universe. The professional universe. Be it graduate school or off to your career of choice, or like a lot of my dear friends are doing, nursing school. It is a tuning point; but that's obvious; you don't need a random stranger such as myself telling you that this is important. What you might need from a random stranger is some advice and thoughts on the matter of "future."
As a single man I frequent lots of different dating websites and I can't tell you how many girls (and guys) answer the question "I spend a lot of time thinking about..." with, "my future and what where my life is going."
Well this is it, this is your future. You make your own path, and you will make mistakes and you will mess up and you will learn from these mistakes and become a better person for it. Whenever someone is unsure about what is to come I always tell them that everything happens for a reason, that everything you did that brought you to this moment has a deeper meaning and a greater purpose. You can call this deeper meaning "destiny" or "God" or "The Force" if you want but it happened for a reason. There is a plan in motion but that plan is not fixed. Its constantly changing, taking lefts, and rights, and U-turns, and oh crap you just missed that exit but in the end all of you will be onto great things.
Now this goes for the high schoolers who are enjoying their senior prom. The prom is a major moment in a young life. It is one last big horrah to the past four years. It doesn't matter if you had a very bad freshman year or an amazing junior year with perfect scores on all four of your AP tests or that you didn't make the football team your sophomore year. For one night, you, as a class, are all together, and celebrating the night, celebrating YOU.
Now what happens afterwards for you young ones is all up to you. Do you go to college? Do you work? Or something else entirely? Its up to you.
My point: As I see all these happy faces of new graduates and soon to be high school graduates in their prom dresses I feel nostalgic and at times depressed because it's no big secret that I really messed up college and high school. I've constantly made mistakes and still continue to do so. Everyone is off to bigger and better things but here I am on my own working for Sea World where I will probably remain for a long time coming.
However, I don't want to list those negative thoughts without positive ones. I look at all of my mistakes and I learn from them, or try to at least, and keep learning. Life is getting better for me now on a professional level but its still a long ways away but I am willing to wait. I know everything lead me to this moment even now of posting this because of choices I made, some good, some bad, and some downright stupid. We all have skeletons in our closets but in the end it all works out.
I used to be very sad not too long ago because all of my friends who I graduating high school with are off to bigger things. They are Masters or PhD students. They are in careers doing well. Some are married and some have kids! I'm happy for all of them but it always comes back to me and asking myself what am I doing with my life? But I have hope. I will always have hope and I know its going to be better.
So even now for other people who are my friends who are sad because they didn't get to go to college or they are still in college or they are going through a very tough time. I want to tell you. It gets better. It always does. You are not alone. You are not "behind." Your plan is just a bit slower.
To this I wish the Class of 2015 an amazing life as a fantastic journey still awaits you and I hope I get to be a part of it in some way even if its just a "like" on facebook or actually seeing you in person and giving you a huge hug next time I see you. I wish you Hope, Willpower, Love, Compassion, and Life.
CONGRATS TO YOU ALL :D!!!!!
Today I went to the cheesecake factory. I saw loads of college graduates and lots of senior prom people. There was something kinda magical about two different groups of people being in that place but both share so much.
Ancient Chinese philosopher and poet, Laozi (or the more westernized Lao Tzu) once said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."
To start you have two, what looks to be, very different groups on the outside; but in reality these two parties are very similar.
College graduation is a big time. It's a life changer. Its a moment of sheer happiness and joy at the time of the ceremony. You are taking your first steps into a big universe. The professional universe. Be it graduate school or off to your career of choice, or like a lot of my dear friends are doing, nursing school. It is a tuning point; but that's obvious; you don't need a random stranger such as myself telling you that this is important. What you might need from a random stranger is some advice and thoughts on the matter of "future."
As a single man I frequent lots of different dating websites and I can't tell you how many girls (and guys) answer the question "I spend a lot of time thinking about..." with, "my future and what where my life is going."
Well this is it, this is your future. You make your own path, and you will make mistakes and you will mess up and you will learn from these mistakes and become a better person for it. Whenever someone is unsure about what is to come I always tell them that everything happens for a reason, that everything you did that brought you to this moment has a deeper meaning and a greater purpose. You can call this deeper meaning "destiny" or "God" or "The Force" if you want but it happened for a reason. There is a plan in motion but that plan is not fixed. Its constantly changing, taking lefts, and rights, and U-turns, and oh crap you just missed that exit but in the end all of you will be onto great things.
Now this goes for the high schoolers who are enjoying their senior prom. The prom is a major moment in a young life. It is one last big horrah to the past four years. It doesn't matter if you had a very bad freshman year or an amazing junior year with perfect scores on all four of your AP tests or that you didn't make the football team your sophomore year. For one night, you, as a class, are all together, and celebrating the night, celebrating YOU.
Now what happens afterwards for you young ones is all up to you. Do you go to college? Do you work? Or something else entirely? Its up to you.
My point: As I see all these happy faces of new graduates and soon to be high school graduates in their prom dresses I feel nostalgic and at times depressed because it's no big secret that I really messed up college and high school. I've constantly made mistakes and still continue to do so. Everyone is off to bigger and better things but here I am on my own working for Sea World where I will probably remain for a long time coming.
However, I don't want to list those negative thoughts without positive ones. I look at all of my mistakes and I learn from them, or try to at least, and keep learning. Life is getting better for me now on a professional level but its still a long ways away but I am willing to wait. I know everything lead me to this moment even now of posting this because of choices I made, some good, some bad, and some downright stupid. We all have skeletons in our closets but in the end it all works out.
I used to be very sad not too long ago because all of my friends who I graduating high school with are off to bigger things. They are Masters or PhD students. They are in careers doing well. Some are married and some have kids! I'm happy for all of them but it always comes back to me and asking myself what am I doing with my life? But I have hope. I will always have hope and I know its going to be better.
So even now for other people who are my friends who are sad because they didn't get to go to college or they are still in college or they are going through a very tough time. I want to tell you. It gets better. It always does. You are not alone. You are not "behind." Your plan is just a bit slower.
To this I wish the Class of 2015 an amazing life as a fantastic journey still awaits you and I hope I get to be a part of it in some way even if its just a "like" on facebook or actually seeing you in person and giving you a huge hug next time I see you. I wish you Hope, Willpower, Love, Compassion, and Life.
CONGRATS TO YOU ALL :D!!!!!
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