"When I walked into the jungle", I was seventeen.And so they've started. Yes, them. On the internet, the radio, on the TV. Yup, that's what I'm talking about. Attack Ads. There's a lot I can say, but I'll leave that for another day. Regardless, they do bring back memories. Ahh. Stephane Dion. Slaughtered by the Cons. Specifically, there's been one phrase that I've been musing in my mind recently...
When I walked out I was twenty one.
And, by God, I was rich!"
- Ben, Death of a Salesman
"Do you think it's easy to make priorities?"- Stephane Dion, Conservative Attack AdYes - we all ridiculed Dion - the public did, the media did, the Cons did, and even Iggy did.
But I think the answer is clear. Is it easy? No. Of course not. There are decisions to be made. Places to go. Programs to choose. People to meet. Friends to make. Tests to prepare. Homework to complete. Money to earn. Music to play. Things to say. Questions to ask. Answers to find. The world ahead.
I'm going to have to quote this* (hmmm I'm really in a quoting mood tonight...)
"There are moments in our lives when we find ourselves at a crossroads. The choices we make in those moments can define the rest of our days." - Lucas, One Tree Hill
Seventeen years old, give or take, stepping into the jungles of the world. And out at age twenty one. Imagine - four more years. Where will we be? Perhaps the bigger question is, Who will we be? These are defining years. It's a transitional time right now - taking that next step in life, starting that new chapter. Ben took his step into his "jungle" - and came out, from rags to riches. But he also defined himself. Is that the person you're seeking?
Here we are - after 12 years of school with the support of family and friends, and our ongoing growth. To quote an earlier note, we're getting ready to emerge from our childhood as the full grown tigers we are - into the world surrounding.
Emerging, we stand on top of the hill - the culmination of our childhood years and accomplishments - and we stare with wonder, a pinch of fear, and a little disbelief, ahead into the vast land that lies before us.
Not that this is our peak. I would certainly hope not. There are mountains ahead that could make our hill... well, a hill. But this is where we are now. And as we march, step by step, towards the mountains ahead, we have decisions to make, problems to settle.
It's never easy to make priorities. But the bottom line is that we must "keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious... and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."
- Walt Disney, [featured in] Meet the Robinsons
A beautiful thought. But leaving high school physics, we no longer live in a 2-D world - the reality is beyond moving forward and backwards. Our goals reach in all directions - sometimes we know where we want to go. Other times, we have no idea. However, it's not about the destination, but moreover, the adventure, the journey, the quest - a path never simple.
That's the problem we face now. We've reached the crossroads, yet we don't seem to have the directions. Google Maps can't help us here (at least... not yet...) - it's up to us to map out the road ahead - to make priorities, set our values straight, and walk forward with faith and confidence.
And once our priorities are set straight - we can walk ahead and accomplish our dreams... right? Well, ten seconds after writing that - I'm gonna have to say no.
Because it is so incredibly hard to set our priorities straight. And that's the thing. We never will. It is about the journey, not the destination - and because the journey through life is never a straight path - our priorities are a part of our vital growth and discovery - and like ourselves, they are always growing, always changing. It's a continual struggle to set our priorities and to keep our goals in mind.
Our dreams - or perhaps our realization of the living dream - will come at the end - as long as we can keep moving forward with an open mind - because what we see today is not what we will see tomorrow. We live in a changing world.
"At the end". That's hard to say, to put so much faith into something we can't see. What do we do when we're asked, "What are you building? Lay your hand on it. Where is it?" - Ben.
What we need is everywhere. It's that relationship we share with each other - friendship - "a committed love for the world and every individual." We are blessed with the directions, the maps, the signs - all around us. We're not expected to accomplish this on our own. We're there to help each other on this tough but wonderful journey, the "co/sine graph of life".
And that's something I can depend on.
"Be strong and brave. The Lord your God will go with you.
He will never leave you. He'll never desert you." - Deuteronomy 31:6
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