The Future. Finally.

Seeing as this is my last blog post for this assignment, I suppose I'll reflect on the year. I've learned quite a lot this year, and not just about myself, but about everyone. I had my share of difficult times this year, but what's weird to think about is, so has everyone else. It's actually kind of unnerving to think of some of the awful things everyone goes through, yet I will never know anything about those difficult times. I like to think of high school as the world, just on a much smaller scale. We all have our different groups of friends, interests, and hobbies. Yet, even on such a small scale, I've only really gotten to know a handful of people at Westmont. Thinking about this kind of made me realize that life out of high school is going to be exactly like that. I'm going to stick to a few people I know well that share similar interests and hobbies, while there are 7 billion people out there left for me to meet.

I've always wanted to travel the world, meet different types of people, and experience different cultures, but one can only accomplish so much in a lifetime. I'll never have the time or money to meet more than a couple hundred people outside my own social sphere. All of this gives me a sense of insignificance I should say. I'm just one person, right? I only impact a small group of people, some of which are my family. However, despite any decisions I make, the world will go on. People in China, whom have never heard of me, will wake up at the same time every morning, and go about their day. People in Kenya will suffer from starvation, and Ugandans will still be an oppressed people. As much as I'd like to make changes to all of that, there's only so much one can do. On a global scale, there are tragedies occurring everywhere. Genocide, acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and I can't do a thing about that. Now, while all that is slightly disheartening, I feel that people need to retract from those thoughts a bit. Some things are just out of our control, unfortunately. What I've learned this year is that I need to live my life for no one else, but myself. Because in the end, the world will move on. Even those affected (effected? That's one thing I did not learn this year) by my decisions will eventually move on. So really, what's the point of trying to please others? What's the point of trying to shape yourself into some mold your parents made for you before you were even born?

Well, there is no point. A life well lived is not a life lived to please others. Sure, you can help others. Maybe help the starving, or stand up for a cause you believe in, but the most important thing (this is going to sound super cheesy) is to take your life into the direction you would like to take it. Social stigmas and stereotypes mean nothing. I've spent most of my life trying to please others. My friends, my family, even my teachers. But what I've come to find out is, that is not what makes me happy. And since life is so short lived, why do anything else besides make yourself happy? I hope to direct myself into the future that I want for myself, and nothing less. I hope everyone else can do the same.