Going into my professor's office hours, I had no idea that I would get more than I bargained for. I had come in just to ask about how I should approach an essay I had become frustrated with. I knew what I wanted to say, I knew what needed to be analyzed, however what I didn’t know was why it wasn’t translating onto paper.
As he sat behind his desk, contemplating my predicament, he said
the simplest yet most profound thing I have heard in terms of writing advice:
"I can see it right away, what you're doing. You want to
figure everything out in your head, but you need to slow down and take
everything one step at a time. You just need to slow down and take it a step at
a time.”
What my professor did not realize was that he wasn’t only giving
me advice on writing, but my life in general. I've never been the type of
person to lie in wait; my mother can attest to this since I've always been
quick to jump into things, into conclusions, and into situations. You could
call it a reckless attitude. Or you could call it being a
"go-getter," either way I had a one track mindset.
The advice he gave me has been in my head ever since that day. I
know that there is a truth in those words; I know I’m an impatient person with
the tendency to jump the gun. But, how can you stop your mind from going 80
miles per hour while life is merely moving at a brisk walking pace? I can’t
really explain why I feel the need to keep moving, perhaps it’s intuition. If I
stop, I might wither away at the lack of progress. If I keep barreling through
life, I’ll burn out.
Maybe with a fizzle or maybe with a bang, but the spark will
most certainly be diffused. So, how do you keep it burning?
It’s been said that history is doomed to repeat itself, and the
best way to avoid that is to learn from it. But, I’m not talking about a
lecture hall, I’m thinking more along the lines of the lessons given at the
Richard Rodgers theater in one of the greatest cities in the world. The smash
hit musical, “Hamilton” follows the life of Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton,
and is narrated by Aaron Burr. Both Hamilton and Burr were on the search
political success and glory, but their opposing attitudes got the better of
them. Hamilton was too ambitious for his own good, while Burr missed out on
what he wanted by being too cautious.
What I’ve learned from them is that while ambition is a great
driving force, I shouldn’t let it run me off my course. And that while being
patient is a virtue, I shouldn’t let it stop me from going after what I want. Essentially,
they taught me to remember not to live life in extremes but in moderation.
Sometimes, it’s okay to wait for it. Slow down, but don't fully
stop. It's important to look around you, take it in, this moment. You’re here
and you’ve made it. You don’t need to know what to do next, in fact it’s okay
if you don’t. It’s okay not to have it all figured out at once, just look at
where you are and look at where you started from. Because, you are so
incredibly lucky to be alive right now.
