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Lately, my mind has been wandering, and I've found myself completely focused or zoned out to the point that I don't see or notice other things going on around me. While I've always been able to focus, I'm usually also quite observant of my surroundings. However, most recently, the former has been occurring, and I couldn't help but wonder
why.
When each of us was younger, if you were like me, you had an idea in your mind of how your life would unfold. As an adult looking back now, I realize that my ideas were shaped by what I saw around me. After all, we
cannot seek what we don't know exists. So what I saw - school, teachers, married parents, women with children and small town bliss - was initially what I pursued. However, there resided within me a curiosity that would not be satiated with settling for this path.
Needless to say, I didn't see many different roles that women played or stepped into in their lives besides wives, mothers and teachers. I often wander what I would have chosen as a career path if I wasn't a teacher, but it wasn't until I was well-immersed into my career as an English teacher that I came to realize there were more paths that were desirable to me, my tastes, predilections and talents. The marriage and mother thing, yeah, I realized that wasn't something I
was hip on either, at least not the traditional path I had witnessed. Thankfully, I hadn't stepped into those roles before I realized these aha moments for myself.
The idea of designing a life that is congruent with who we wish to be, who we are
most comfortable being and who we have the potential to evolve into can be limited unconsciously, but if we choose to be curious about life, if we choose to ask "Why?" or "Why Not . . . ?" as the case may be as it is on this blog, we gradually begin to discover the right path for ourselves regardless of society's expectations and "safe" or "acceptable" paths.
Along the way, others may stray from us or uncomfortably cling to us either because they either cannot understand us or wish to understand us because something about our path piques their curiosity. Sometimes the temptation will be to revert to the "acceptable" path because it is easier, and we don't have to keep explaining ourselves, but being "safe"
when it comes to life's journey never allowed anyone to reach their full potential.
So why was my mind racing as I mentioned at the top of the post? Because never in my
wildest dreams would I have thought as a young girl that I could live the life I'm living now. Never did I see demonstrated a woman living life on her own terms and being happy doing so. A lot has changed, both in society, but more with my understanding of how I most enjoy living life, and because of that, I feel as though I have been set free. For some people, my life path will never make sense to them, but for others, it will be the example they need to observe to see different
ways of living well and be assured that they too can make the journey.
It's funny how life works; sometimes we are lucky enough to have role models in our lives who model how we wish to live, and sometimes, because we don't have such people, we become
what we needed.
Role model or not, dare to discover your unique path, and along the way you may be surprised by the woman you become. Respect her, be kind to her and be amazed by her . . . because you are.
In this week's newsletter, the final part of the three part Life & Tech series wraps up as I share nine Do's and Don'ts of texting. Also, Thoughts from the Editor returns with a favorite series Why Not . . . ? making a reappearance to share ideas on how to
seamlessly create the comforts of your daily life in your new town/city should you be relocating.
The long weekend is here for my readers in the states, and that means either travel, more time to relax or one more day to do as you please
without demands. Revel in such time, deign to lose all track of hours, and be sure to put your feet up from time to time. Until next week, I'll see you on the blog.
