When Keith Richards was a kid, untouched by the rock star lifestyle, he desperately wanted to be a librarian. Prince William dreamed of becoming a policeman. On a Monday morning, eight year old Barack Obama made public his dream of becoming a U.S. president.
So what happens to our childhood dreams?
My senior year of high school, I declared to those most important to me (and of course anyone else who might listen), my intended major for college. I spoke with confidence and passion. Why wouldn't I choose that major? It's my dream!
This only occurred... 8 times before I gave in and registered as an exploratory student at Ithaca College. How in the world was I supposed to know what I wanted out of life? I was only 18 years old. I was clearly too young to know exactly what job I wanted to pursue.
Of course, Obama was only eight years old when he knew what he wanted out of life.
How is it, that someone in the 3rd grade can confidently and without hesitation bare their soul and without shame share their greatest dreams with not only those around them, but with themselves. However, a 20 something, half way through their undergraduate education, can more readily confess their utter confusion and fear of the future than simply know what they want in life and go after it with everything they've got.
Maybe it's the years of experiencing disappointment. Realizing that some dreams, as wonderful as they may be, just aren't realistic. Maybe it's the general and all too familiar fear of being let down or knowing that life will always be unplanned and full of unexpected moments, that prevents us from starting our lives in the first place.
As a kid, we don't know fear yet. We haven't experienced life enough to see the bad. We live in a protected sphere encompassed by our closest family and imaginary friends. Clearly (brace yourselves for sarcasm), a childhood dream is silly and unrealistic because our dreams are imagined purely through the naivety of our hearts. Little logic is involved.
Honestly though, I kind of think Obama had the right idea. In my opinion, our childhood hopes and dreams may be the most reliable and honest truths of what we REALLY want out of life. It's easy as an adult to shut down a childhood dream. We have countless excuses to deny ourselves of what we really want. It costs too much. It's too risky. Fear of judgement. Fear of our own capabilities.
It seems to me, that we do more damage to ourselves with every added year of "wisdom". Not to say that we don't gain valuable insight through personal experience as the years pass. But I believe people have a tendency to get caught up in those experiences and forget the eight year old kid inside. Maybe it's time to clear our heads. Forget the friend that spoke behind your back, or the professor who told you that you just weren't good enough and it was time to think about life plan B,C and D. There will always be obstacles and bad luck in life. Sure, we can take the safe route and get a comfy desk job. But 30 years down the road, when you spend the majority of your time and energy at your job, can you say you're happy? That you have no regrets about the path you chose?
I've always been a strong believer that happiness in life doesn't come from the size of your bank account, the number of facebook friends you have, or the image others have of you. At the end of the day, the one constant in your life will be yourself. If you give up on your true passions and goals in life, who's life will you be living? Not yours.
Eight year old Barack decided one day that his dream was to become president. He struggled immensely throughout his life, but he stayed true to his passion and never gave up. Most people in Barack's position would have gladly taken the easy way out, happy to settle for a more dependable future plan. Had he ignored the kid inside, our country might still run under the foresight of yet another spoiled, simpleminded politician.
It's incredibly risky to trust your gut instincts and go for what may seem to be an impossible future. But if you're too afraid to take a leap of faith in life, what's the point of living?
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and should make the decision that works best for them. I respect that entirely and would never criticize someone for choosing a paved, high traffic path. It comes with a certain level of predictability that can be extremely comforting in a very unpredictable economy. It's a popular route that's worked out for countless people. It promises a magnitude of security and relative happiness.
Unfortunately for my dad, a strong advocate for such a lifestyle, I will put every ounce of will and energy into avoiding that path at all costs.
I choose the path less traveled. I choose to be the eight year old.
