Choices

Choices
Originally uploaded by andebos.

It is an interesting thing...when we're young, adults tell us we can do anything and be anything - this continues, at least the theory continues in our mind, until we ourselves become adults. However, what we are not told is that more often than not, we can do anything and be anything at the sacrifice of many other things. We were led to believe that we could have everything without having to sacrifice anything. We then become confused as our lives and desires pull us in different directions. I think I have only come to realize this after talking with a close friend this week, in combination with my mentor. They both expressed this duality of desire. One to be independent, free, and live out all the many dreams of their youth and adolescence - they also admitted that many of these dreams began to appear selfish to them. On the other hand these dreams were beginning to be conflicted with other desires consisting of relationships and community...more specifically marriage and family. It is an interesting thought as you look at all these desires - we are led to believe we can have everything but we only realize later that everything is only half true. The full truth is that we can go after all of our dreams - but we cannot have all of our dreams. We must choose the ones that are most important to us. Acquiring these dreams requires us to sacrifice other dreams...but understanding this idea of sacrifice is extremely hard because it doesn't align with everything we grew up with. What I am now seeing is that our desires and what will give us contentment and fulfill our purposes in life requires sacrifice of other dreams. The real question for myself is asking which dreams are selfish and will leave me dry at the end of my life, and which ones are rich and will leave me full and blessed with relationships as I say goodbye. Either way, choosing our dreams in this life requires sacrifice. It is so amazing to me to see my dreams eveolve over time. The things I thought I wanted so much have now receded into the past...I suppose sometimes the last will be first, and sometimes...the first will be last. I do know this - all things, especially love, require sacrifice...and anything less that fighting for love (at all costs including ourselves) is just an empty promise...a chasing after the wind. I feel this to be true in my heart and I think you do too. My advice - go after love, sacrifice yourself. The only way to gain your life (your dreams included) is to lose it in the love for others.