So when two elderly ladies happened upon the seats behind me, conversing loudly in English (with some indecipherable accent -- I told you, I gave up), I felt taken aback. It then arose into a situation in which you could either disregard them as fetchingly obnoxious, or simply (and passively) listen in.
Opting for the latter, I heard a firm declaration: "We make our life what we want it to be."
As they discussed the life of a mutual friend (who had apparently been defying this mentality), I imagined myself in a movie, straining to figure out where this conversation was going.
"You cannot say, because this happened to me, I cannot be this. You need to stand on your own feet."
Such serendipitous words. After some vague back and forths about missing out on life opportunities, self-analysis naturally wormed its way in.
"Now, I could care less what people think of me. Because look -- even today, she is not free. Not free in herself to do what she wants."
Rather than setting an atmosphere for criticism, the tone of these ladies mourned the regrets in life and made me reflect on how I was doing. Feeling more grateful by the moment for doing this trip, I vowed to deliberately choose to make the moments count -- to never shy away out of fear from past experiences or let myself limit my options. To make myself go out of the comfort zone (which we all have) and step out of the box.
Of course, it's one thing to apply this motto under unique circumstances, like when traveling or studying abroad. But what about in the daily humdrum of working life? Or even school?
Of course, it's one thing to apply this motto under unique circumstances, like when traveling or studying abroad. But what about in the daily humdrum of working life? Or even school?
Do we ever consciously realize when we fit the mold of others' expectations (versus our own) -- or is that a privilege left for others? When was the last time you felt like you couldn't do something because of something that has happened? Practical limits exist, of course, but we usually over exaggerate them, spinning them into excuses that simply grow larger and larger as we get older.
I believe it's a healthy thing if you can recall choices you've made, and you sometimes wonder -- but what if? From the flip side, have you ever had moments when you chose the path that deviated from the "normal" expectations, and were rewarded with utter freedom? And you wondered how you ever could have considered doing anything else?
Too often we see our limitations more than our prospects, so I wanted to encourage everyone to initiate, to pursue, and shorten that list of missed opportunities.
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