A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us. -John Steinbeck
I am an inquisitive person by nature, sometimes to my detriment. I have never been one to accept any information without my own exploration into it's truth. In fact, in my childhood, I never dreamed of prince charming, although I frequently daydreamed that I was adopted, that's a story all on it's own. No, no doodles of Mr. Right, marriage, kids; domestication. My young journals were filled with a few things; sadness, anger, and dreams of a career that would take me far away from the first two. I wanted a life jam-packed with adventure and filled to the tippity top with love. Somewhere along the way I lost sight of my idea for my life and began to conform, yeah in Kindergarten, I proceeded to dress, eat, and act just like everyone around me. Why? Why, because that's what is acceptable in our society - Be just like the girl to your right, forget individualism. Be good, believe in the Christian's God, don't say fuck, be a size 3, eat your vegetables, don't have sex until your married, get married, have kids=The End. I did this act of conformity, outwardly successful, until a few years ago. Breaking the mold felt like filling my lungs to their bases after nearly drowning. I've been asking pretty much everyone I meet if they're happy. Happy with their career choice, happy with their relationships, just happy in general; my own sort of experiment. Dear reader, I'm sure you won't be surprised to know, most everyone has answered No. In fact, everyone has answered no. Then I always follow-up with, Why? Why aren't you happy and why don't you make changes until you are happy?? I would say most everyone feels stuck, held by obligation and bound-up with excuses --> drowning. This makes me sad for them. 2011 will be the first full year I will live freely, choosing happiness, not living under society's skirt.
I say Fuck You society. Fuck the "they," whoever they are. We should love ourselves enough to choose happiness.
I've been listening to Florence + The Machines non stop since discovering them :)
