openness

"I do not accept any absolute formulas for living. No preconceived code can see ahead to everything that can happen in a man's life. As we live, we grow and our beliefs change. They must change. So I think we should live with this constant discovery. We should be open to this adventure in heightened awareness of living. We should stake our whole existence on our willingness to explore and experience."

 -Martin Buber

As I begin to embark on my last semester at UMass Amherst and approach the "real world" after, I am constantly feeling waves of intense uncertainty. I'm almost 23 and I have no idea what I want to do when I grow up. I've got lots of ideas, but no definites (other than travel). While this can be freeing, it can also be intimidating. How are we supposed to choose the path for the rest of our lives at such a young age? The idea of choosing one seems to suffocate me.

When I get too anxious about the situation, I find comfort in talking with lots of people about this, and it seems that most people don't know what they want to do when they grow up, regardless of if they're 19 or 91. It makes me think about this flexible, fluid thing called life. If we're lucky, we could have 100 years on this planet--that's a long time! Why restrict oneself to a single job for a whole lifetime when there are so many options and years out there?

It's pointless to worry about what will happen ten years from now. The weight can feel crushing, but there is nothing we can do about the future except positively be here now. You might not be in the job or location you dreamed, but only you have the power to change those things. Make the best of your now, and if it isn't the best now you could be having, change it. Look for avenues. If you're open to it, you never know who you might run into, what subject might steal your heart, and what opportunities might just land in your lap. Life is a pretty crazy thing. You don't have to know exactly what you want to do, but if you don't, be open to the fluid changes of life and perspective. And don't forget to smile and even laugh, especially when you get too serious.