“She understood that the hardest times in life to go through were when you were transitioning from one version of yourself to another.” Sarah Addison Allen
I have a best friend who is also my husband, two amazing (although sometimes exhausting) kids, and a house in the area I want to live. Except for a few creaky joints from old running injuries and carrying big babies, my physical health is great. I have a career that I am proud of and creative pursuits that I am working towards. Life is pretty good.
Is this it? Is this the pinnacle and it is all downhill from here as they say? Now that I am in a place that I dreamed of and worked so hard for, have I reached the end of my choose-your-own-adventure story? In a way, it is the end of the wondering, but it not the end of the adventure.
When I was in my early teens, I spent summers at my friend Sarah’s cabin. Walking on the beach dreaming of what we would be, who we would marry, what our lives would be like when we grew up. Longing to start making our own decisions and be in charge of our lives. I’m sure many can relate to this and also my desire to go back to my 14-year-old self and tell her to slow down.
As a child, so much of your life is unknown. It is full of possibilities. Then slowly you make choices, you settle into routines and accept who you are.
Do you ever get to the point where you can truly feel that you know where you are where you should be? Should you actually want that? For some, the restless souls, that seems like a terribly boring state to be in. For others, stability is the ultimate goal in life.
Maybe there is another option too though.
Most of us are actually moving in and out of adventurous stages into stability phases to get grounded and strong enough again to strike out on another adventure. The old metaphor of life being a roller coaster makes sense, but I think it is more like that ride that starts off going up slowly then all of a sudden shoots up so fast to the top you can’t even see straight. Then it takes you down slowly again. Only to do it all over again.
How I got here though, the people I have met along the way who have influenced and inspired me, the places I have seen and the things I have felt still feel like a surprise to me when I think back on the journey. I’m a planner so there were times along the way where I had to completely change course and go a different direction which was super scary but allowing myself to be open to opportunities and trusting myself that I would find a good path got me to where I am.
Perspectively Yours 