This is a bit of boring introspection perhaps, but here goes...
I love my life right now. I am genuinely happy! I think I am coming to terms that I am not meant to live a life like everyone else. Being in my mid-20s (yikes!) has brought with it the general soul-searching purpose-of-my-life seeking that is to be expected. My friends have gotten married, gone to med school or law school, even had children! Which is great. And I thought that I needed to get a move on. Everyone else seems to be starting great careers and families. But I am slowly realizing that I am too restless and adventure-seeking for that kind of life right now.
Santiago says to me that we are young, that we can work hard, that we will always find away to survive while fearlessly following our hearts wherever in the world we feel like going. Living in a country where no one has health insurance or 401ks makes you re-think your priorities. Yes, I have saved approximately zero dollars for my retirement so far. But maybe I won´t live until then. And that doesn´t make me sad. It emboldens me to live now, to live every day. And why do people need a 401k? So they can retire from a job they hate, that has consumed their lives, so they can spend a few years in their old age enjoying themselves. But if we live our whole lives without seeing the inside of an office, without settling for lukewarm satisfaction, what do we need to retire from?
Yes, I know one day, especially if I have a family, I will want some security, some guarantee that when I am 70 and need a heart surgery, I will not go bankrupt. Some day, perhaps I might even settle down. But that day is not today. Nor is it this year, nor perhaps this decade.
With 2000 dollars, I can buy a plane ticket and live in some Latin American countries for 6 months. And what is wrong with working for 6 months in the United States, saving 2000 dollars, and living in another country the rest of the year? What is wrong with that if that is what makes me feel alive? I don´t know what I will do next year. I don´t know what I will do with my life. But that doesn´t scare me right now. Instead, I am excited about the endless opportunities.
I am very alive!
Anyone want to throw up from the cheesiness? Haha. But it´s true. And I wanted to share my happiness. Very happy, though I do wish it would stop raining.
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5 comments:
Glad you are happy and enjoying life. Confuscious says "Find a job that you love, never work a day in your life." I saw that on the back of a t-shirt last week in North Carolina while white water rafting. Which by the way we did without a guide in double duckies. Dad flew out in one of the rapids, I rescued him with my paddle which I realized I needed to steer us through the rapids. Intead we just rode the rapids letting dad slam into the rocks until he made it back into the raft:)Aren't you proud of your adventuresome parents? Jess is in Ireland and last I heard hating it. It was icy rain and she didn't feel safe in her hostel in Dublin. She was going to leave early and head for the countryside hoping it would be better.
Love, Mom
We're all conditioned to find a job, settle down, get a mortgage and have kids, it's refreshing to see someone who sees that that's not the only way to live. Being happy is much more important than having a ton of money in the bank. A great post.
Jess moved over to Doolin and loved the countryside. She is back in Dublin today and on to Florence Italy tonight. She was trying to meet up with Kenny Hayes who is in Dublin for a summer class. Glad your are happy. Write soon haven't heard from you in a while.
Love, Dad
Mark,
We have misplaced your cell #. Really starting to be concerned about Elizabeth. She hasn't blogged or answered any of our emails in almost a week. Hope you have heard from her and let us know she is alright.
Thanks,
Dave and Betsy
Elizabeth,
I totally know how you feel and am actually going through that same transition right now! I do hope that when you return to California that we can meet up sometime before my trip back to Ecuador in mid September!
-Anna
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