I was born in Florida, and lived there until I was about 2. I’m sure if I knew what was happening at my ripe old age of 2, I would have assumed we’d stay living in Florida forever, but we moved; to Houston for a year. Again, I’m sure if I was comprehending what was going on, I would have assumed we’d stay living in Houston forever,but we moved; to Cleveland for 5 years. 5 whole years somewhere; we must be staying here forever, but we moved; to Chicago for a year. At this point, I imagine that I kind of just assumed we’d move every few years, but I think there was still that little feeling that this is now my forever home, but we moved; back to Houston for about 7 years. Ok, this has to be it, right? We’ll definitely stay in Houston forever, but we moved; back to Cleveland for a year. Ok this REALLY is it, or so I thought, but then we moved; to New York where I finished up high school. Alright, so now I was off to college. I went off to University of Miami, and I figured I’d be there all 4 years of college, but I transferred; to UMASS Amherst. I then figured I’d stay there the remaining 3 years, but then I transferred; to Lasell College, where I graduated from. I stayed in the Boston area for about 2 years after I graduated, and I then moved back to New York. Ok I really thought I was going to settle in New York, but I moved; BACK to Houston, where I currently reside. Where next? Who the heck knows!
The point of me giving you my life story is to give an example of when things don’t necessarily go according to ‘plan.’ So often in life things do not go the way you had initially thought they would. So often life throws curveballs, and so often, we have to change our course, in one way or another, and adapt to the new situation. This can be scary. This can be frightening actually. However, it can also be really exciting and really incredible.
I was talking to Megan the other night at dinner about this, per a recent episode of The Lively Show, and I’ve been thinking a lot about it. You may have a vision of what your life will look like, from growing up, to what college you’ll go to, to the type of person you’ll date and get married to, to the city you’ll live in forever, to the type of house you’ll live in, how many kids you’ll have, so forth and so on. And it’s ok to envision those things, but it’s also important to realize these things might not happen, and it’s ok if they don’t. It’s ok if you have to change the picture you once painted in your mind of how your life would turn out.
You might not have ever imagined living anywhere but the town you grew up in, and now you find yourself across the country in a whole new city living a life you never ever would have thought about. And that’s ok. Maybe you’ll find you like this idea of life a lot better than what your other idea was. And maybe you’ll never know how it could have been, but this is the life you’re in now, and it’s important to be in that life and nowhere else, to be in that moment, and enjoy it with every ounce of your being.
Looking back, I would have never thought I’d move 11 (yes, 11) times, which included going to 3 different high schools and 3 different colleges, BUT that’s where life took me, and thank goodness it did. I wouldn’t have the friends I have today if it wasn’t for each of those moves and changes. I wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for each of those moves and changes.
Once you change the course in your mind and accept what is and roll with the punches, you’ll realize it’s not so bad that life’s plan for you isn’t what you had originally envisioned; in fact, you’ll realize it’s likely even better.
Life has a funny way of working itself out. Somehow someway, it’ll all make sense in the end. This I know to be true. So, folks, enjoy the course you’re on, and if that course changes, have the ride of your life.
Photography by Stefanus Martanto Setyo Husodo