“There was never a plan. There was just a series of mistakes.”
Robert Caro
I’m certain about very few things. Death [mine is light years away], taxes [necessary. also crappy], London, UK [owner of my heart]. Beyond these truths? A vast expanse of vaguery, possibility and opportunity.
As one who came of age pre-internet, I have nostalgic yearning for simpler times. Landlines with curly cords, libraries as primary sources, passing notes in class…inter alia. In my youth, thoughts about the future were directed toward employment, relationships and geography. What will I do? Who will I fall in love with? Where will I live? Also: when does this adulting stuff get fun?
And when I was feeling particularly introspective…what is my purpose?
Looking back, I was impatient to grow up. My eyes were resolutely trained on the horizon…landing somewhere new. Surely elsewhere would be more exciting than here. Yet I had no idea what that journey entailed. What’s an appropriate maturity equation? Life experience + earned wisdom, perhaps. Navigating challenges + emerging stronger…that generally helps.
Right? Exactly. Maybe…
As Lord Dark Helmet asked, on behalf of all humanity, in the classic Mel Brooks film Spaceballs; “when will then be now?” To which Col. Sandurz intently replies, “soon.”
Veritas: there’s no right way to negotiate change. And few reliable tools for anticipating the future. It’s wait and see, evaluate and respond. That feels uncomfortable to most, OK to some, exciting for a few [comme moi]. The differentiator? Getting comfy with complexity.
If vague isn’t your vibe, start slow. Embrace what can be structured and release the variables beyond reach…just for now. Build on what you know, adding new components as they arrive. Breathe deeply while reminding yourself that, though you may not be the boss of next steps, you’re a vital contributor. Seek input, trust instinct, act confidently. It’s your life…rerouting is always an option.
Our most memorable experiences are often unanticipated. That friend we met while waiting in line for coffee. The job we lost right before finding the role of our dreams. Heartbreak that brought us low, which helped us distinguish connection from carnality [les deux ont leurs charmes]. Nothing wrong with structure…in moderation. Human experience needs room to breathe. Do your best to organize those next steps optimistically, rather than obsessively.
As for me…still journeying without a map. Open to opportunities :) London’s calling, but who can say when I’ll answer? Soon…