A family member recently visited our home and I overheard them talking with my parents. She said to them, "Gosh, this is such a difficult time for them. So many big decisions to make and uncertainties with what will happen." My parents sounded a bit surprised, replying with the typical "well this is just the beginning of their lives, it's a fun time!"
A lot of us millennials might side with my parents on this one. We're told that these are some of the best times of our lives so we believe it wholeheartedly...but I'm with the handful of us that feel the weight of the big decisions and uncertainties that my relative spoke of.
Mindlessly listening to the conversation a lightbulb went on in my head when I heard that sentence spoken. I thought my goodness, that's exactly right. From the outside looking in, being in your 20s is something to cherish. We're young, healthy, and have so much life ahead of us...but that's the thing. We have so many important decisions to make in such a short amount of time. To go to college, or work? What kind of career path are you going to take? What do you want to do with the rest of your life? And where do you want live, plant your roots, and leave your legacy? Are you going to have a family? Are you the marrying kind? How will you begin to save for retirement? These are all questions that we are answering for ourselves in such a short time frame. We're making decisions that will affect us for literally the rest of our lives.
I've had the wonderful opportunity to unwind this summer. No responsibilities, just time for myself...but oddly my stress level hasn't decreased much. With the time I've had to myself, there has come time to think about a lot of things. Among those things is wondering about how my life will turn out. I look around and see how my parents have provided for me and I wonder how I could ever fill their shoes. Suddenly, every time I looked at something I thought of the expensive of it, and if I would ever be able to afford it. Am I going to be able to give myself the kind of life that was provided for me? Am I going to make it?
This time in our lives...it's not meant to be a difficult time but for some, wondering about how things will turn out is more stressful than just living in the outcome. I've thought about every angle this summer, from wondering if the career path I chose is right for me to what if I was still talking to so and so? Am I fulfilling the plan that's been laid for me?
After a couple weeks of contemplating my neck was more tense than it has ever been. At some point I just decided to deal with life as it comes, because this is a difficult time and I can't do much by sitting around worrying.
After my parents said their piece about how they thought this was such a great time for us, my relative concluded with, "Well, you've molded them as best you can and I suppose you just have to trust it's enough!"...and my goodness, I sure hope it is.
