Don't simply pass through

Chance and seemingly random events have led us to where we are. I have no desire to ponder on alternate histories that never were and never will be. We are here now and that's what matters. I don't want to live comfortably in the "known world". I want to break those walls that hold us back. We have those walls, but for what? We are scared to move forward to what may seem like risk, but in the back of our minds we crave to end this complacency. With the little time we have and the great speed of this life, why live in such narrow space when the potential for greater things is on the cusp of existence? Let's end the dormancy of the fantasies in our heads that rattle the cages we've placed around them, longing for liberation and embrace. Let's dare to be vulnerable and pursue these things, or else they may drive us to regret. I think of what I'm giving up to be where I am right now and what I'm willing to give up to be where I want to be. It's worth it because I have already chosen to overcome these borders that threaten to contain my passion. I have eradicated the monsters that guard the edges of the abyss. I go now, a brave explorer, with nothing but my heart for a compass, searching the depths toward the light that beckons me in the distance. When I come critically close, I refuse to draw back, nor will I simply pass through. I will embrace what I pursue wholeheartedly, with everything that I am. There is no other way to live this life. We must push past what holds us back, on toward a more meaningful life that we desire and have been too afraid to submerge ourselves into. Now is the time to do so because the only thing I really fear is that if we don't, what we never pursued will slip back into the cracks of a narrowly avoided history. I don't want to live with those "what-if's". So, sometimes it's necessary to close all of those doors we've walked through incessantly just to finally take that first step in the right direction-- the way we really want to go, but have avoided out of fear.

Great Things Aren't Free

I remember seeing a post that was circulating saying "the greatest things in life are free". I'd say the opposite. The greatest things in life are costly. They require time and effort. This stands true for friends, family, and romantic relationships. It also stands true for careers and any skills you can develop. So work hard for the people and things you care about. Pursue relationships and interests wholeheartedly. It may be taxing, but if it has meaning to you, it's worth every effort.
Even after you attain what you've pursued, it still takes commitment to maintain. This holds true for relationships, careers, or any skill based interest. Don't let these things slip through your fingertips. Continue to pursue what you love and care about, even when you already have it right in front of you.

Now and What Lies Ahead

We try too hard to live up to expectations that we haven't placed ourselves, to strive toward what's put over our heads. There is no gold standard. We're all different. Life isn't cookie cutter. We worry too much about timing and what others have deemed "practical". This life is anything but predictable. When some circumstance puts a twist in your plans, take it in stride. In these moments, we think too much about what "should be" or what's expected of us. But YOU set these expectations. Not someone else. Let's not be afraid to take risks that others wouldn't. Let's not be afraid to live passionately. Let's not be afraid to put our expectations for our lives above other people's expectations for our lives. After all, this is your life. There is no use in being miserable, thinking of "could-have-beens". This life is too short to live with regret. To live in the "now", doesn't mean to forget the future. Living in the "now" means to modify your future, to improve it. You had some idea of what your future may look like, but now the present has altered what that may look like. That's exciting, not a burden. Cease opportunities. Enjoy the unexpected. Cherish today.