Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Choice

"People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost."

- H. Jackson Browne


Lately I have been thinking about choices. Unfortunately we have strong ideologies in our society that celebrate certain choices and merely acknowledge others. If one chooses a life of independence, service, and social justice, instead of revering and celebrating these people they often find themselves ostracized and alone.

A life that centers on higher education, learning, research, activism, philanthropy and years of servitude, may ironically be seen as empty through the eyes of our dominant culture.

Successes based on the pursuit of social justice are not held to the same regard as a conventional choices regarding marriage and family. And I for one think this needs to change.

This was brought to my attention via facebook: A young woman announced that she was engaged. With all the congratulations! and the i'm so happy for you! remarks you would think this woman just won the nobel peace prize. Meanwhile, achievements such as a Masters degree, or a Ph.D, or a new job, that actually take hard work, are barely thought twice about, let alone celebrated as grandiosely as say a pregnancy or engagement.

This is not to say that i don't enjoy celebrating the choices of others. To feel genuine happiness for others is a truly extraordinary feeling. I just want to put forth a plea for change. It is time that so called unconventional choices, those that take time and passion, be celebrated just as grandly.

Sometimes it is hard for others to acknowledge those who don't walk on the same path as them. They may think they are merely still waiting for their lives to start. I beg to differ. One can gain fulfillment from so many things. Open your eyes to the joy of everyones choices. Cause after all, thats exactly what they are. Choices.




2 comments:

  1. Internal gratitude should be the purpose behind the choices we make. People can get so off track desiring anything other than that. Stay on your track. You hold the key to all your fulfillment. I can already sense your personal growth.

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