“Once upon a time”, that’s the opening line of every story we hear growing up as young children. They all start out as a perfect beginning just until you get to the middle. Then BAM … something tragic happens that prevents the main character from living their “perfect” life. And as the story goes on, we see the trials and tribulations the main character must go through to get to that perfect happy ending. Just like the main characters in these stories, our lives as young adults can hit a bump in the road that inhibits us from getting to that picture-perfect plan.
We leave high school with this plan to go to college, get a degree, get that dream job, get married and have children. We have this idea that nothing will get in our way and everything will go as planned. However, for a majority of people life doesn’t always work like that. So much could happen that prevents us from achieving our “perfect plan.” We could lose someone we love, family situations could change, we could be faced with an illness, basically the list could go on and on.
The truth is we have no control over what is headed our way. People change, plans go awry and life just gets in the way. Through all the heart ache and hurt one must realize that everything truly does happen for a reason. Things happen in our life so we are directed in the path of where we should be. The reason for things not going your way may not be known to you right away but one day they will be. The hardest part is being patient and giving everything time to fall into place.
When you are young, you feel like it’s the end of the world when life doesn’t go how you pictured it would go. It is so important to understand that tough times come to strengthen us and to guide us. Just because things are stormy now does not mean it will last forever. The sun eventually has to come out.
So for all those experiencing life not going according to plan, embrace it. Let this be a time for you to discover who you are and what you want. Try something that is out of your comfort zone, talk to supportive people, make a list of what it is you want out of life. Surround yourself with people who will bring out the best in you and believe in you. Anyone who doesn’t support you is simply just not worth your time.
Just like those “Once upon a time” stories you heard when you were little, the middle of your story does not determine who you are the rest of your life. The difficult periods in your life come to strengthen you and show you just how strong you are. One day, when things fall into place, you will realize that somehow through all the craziness and difficulties you encountered your "once upon a time" turned into a happily ever after.
