Advanced Creative Writing Post #4: The Future

I know that I am supposed to be writing this blog post on rock-climbing. But that's not what has gripped my mind today. My mind is echoing with the thoughts revolving around the future and what is to come. So, I am going to indulge myself and write about the future in, hopefully, an intelligent and thought-provoking way.

The future is never far from my mind these days. High school is ending, college is coming up fast, and deadlines are falling like raindrops in a storm. My future is not by any means certain and the many complications because of this saturate my subconscious, constantly being stirred up by life's twists and turns. Several months ago, a friend of mine (coincidentally the same teacher for which I am doing this blog post for) showed me an article that had been written about society's view of time. I don't remember at the moment who the author of this article is, but I do remember what this article was about. According to the author, society's concept of time can be stripped down to this basic philosophy: what's next? We live in a world governed by the idea of what comes next.

1. You are born.
2. You go to elementary school so you can get the education required to go to middle/Jr. high school.
3. You go to middle/Jr. high school so you can get the education required to go to high school.
4. You go to high school so you can get the education required to go to college.
5. You go to college so you can get a degree.
6. You get a degree so you can get a good job.
7. You get a good job so you can get a good salary.
8. You get a good salary so you can get a good home.
9. You get a good home so you can get a good family.
10. You get a good family so you can have kids and start the whole process of indoctrination all over again with your kids.

It's all focused on what you're going to do next. There's no time to stop and enjoy the present. There's no time to stop and smell the roses. But what happens when there isn't a next step? Or that next step isn't what you planned? What happens when you finally realize that you can't plan for everything, that you can't always know your next step? We have to make the time to do the things we want to do. When it comes down to it, wouldn't we rather live a short life we love than to live a long life we hate? I would much rather roll out of bed to get in my crappy car to go to my low-paying job that I love than to get in a fancy Mercedes to go to a high-paying job I abhor. Right now, my family, my girlfriend, and I are all freaking out about what colleges we're going to and if we'll be able to be where we want to be once we're out in that deep sea of life. And truth is, we don't have a clue. I don't know if I'll be going to the same college as her, or even if it's a college that my parents want me to go to. I don't know if I'll get to college and find exactly the kind of experience I am looking for. I don't even know if teaching is what I will come out with the skills to do. (Wow that was a poorly structured sentence lol). But I am going to do my best to accept that and roll with whatever life throws my way. I am determined to not let the uncertainty taint the enjoyment and fulfillment of my days.