Rods and Cones.
How do you view life? Is it cone-shaped, wherein you do all your exploring at a young age, and then narrow down into a select few activities you do when you are older? Or is it rod-shaped, whereby you are always trying new things, and make sure each and every synapse in your brain is ready for reception should something new come your way?
So I got a new job yesterday. It's a federal job and it involves lots of walking. There will be two weeks of training before I actually work. I'm a bit hesitant to give up the comforts of my current job, because, well, it's downright terrifying to suddenly jump into a brand new career when your current job is not too shabby. The only thing my current job can't offer me is more hours, and that's why I'm changing.
Anyway, because of all the walking that is to ensue, I went to see a podiatrist today. I was chatting with the receptionist, this pleasantly plump early-40-something lady. We talked about my first job (waitressing), third job (teaching English in Korea) and new job-to-be. She was remotely intrigued about Korea. Was it big and crowded? No, it didn't feel like it. In fact, I said, Vancouver felt more overcrowded upon my return.
Then she mentioned how it was good I got that travelling done and out of the way before I settled down and had no money (Cue perfect timing as she handed me the bill for $400). I nodded complacently and smiled but inside I thought, "ARE YOU SERIOUS??!!! What a defeatist way of thinking! I couldn't disagree more!
Why do people feel they have to be bound to things like a traditional office job, a mortgage, kids, marriage, boring jaunts to the local coffeeshop or drinks at the local watering hole as the only excitement in life? Who wrote the rule that you can only travel when you are young, that it's a frivolous, irresponsible thing to do, because you'd best be coming back to your home country to make babies and swim in debt?
I don't envy those people one bit. I want to continue to travel all through my life if I feel like it. Life is too short to conform to norms while reminiscing about the excitement you had when you were young. Life is too precious to waste it away wishing you could live in a hut in the Amazon rainforest, or sell all your belongings and become a surfer, or get a PH.D, or start a new business, or become an award winning photographer, when you could just do it now.
So I got a new job yesterday. It's a federal job and it involves lots of walking. There will be two weeks of training before I actually work. I'm a bit hesitant to give up the comforts of my current job, because, well, it's downright terrifying to suddenly jump into a brand new career when your current job is not too shabby. The only thing my current job can't offer me is more hours, and that's why I'm changing.
Anyway, because of all the walking that is to ensue, I went to see a podiatrist today. I was chatting with the receptionist, this pleasantly plump early-40-something lady. We talked about my first job (waitressing), third job (teaching English in Korea) and new job-to-be. She was remotely intrigued about Korea. Was it big and crowded? No, it didn't feel like it. In fact, I said, Vancouver felt more overcrowded upon my return.
Then she mentioned how it was good I got that travelling done and out of the way before I settled down and had no money (Cue perfect timing as she handed me the bill for $400). I nodded complacently and smiled but inside I thought, "ARE YOU SERIOUS??!!! What a defeatist way of thinking! I couldn't disagree more!
Why do people feel they have to be bound to things like a traditional office job, a mortgage, kids, marriage, boring jaunts to the local coffeeshop or drinks at the local watering hole as the only excitement in life? Who wrote the rule that you can only travel when you are young, that it's a frivolous, irresponsible thing to do, because you'd best be coming back to your home country to make babies and swim in debt?
I don't envy those people one bit. I want to continue to travel all through my life if I feel like it. Life is too short to conform to norms while reminiscing about the excitement you had when you were young. Life is too precious to waste it away wishing you could live in a hut in the Amazon rainforest, or sell all your belongings and become a surfer, or get a PH.D, or start a new business, or become an award winning photographer, when you could just do it now.
posted by s at 12:00 AM
3 Comments:
Congratuartion on your new job!
You don't need to plan your life because the life will plan for you.
Keep up with more frequent post (grin)..
Korean Reader.
Are you going to be a mail carrier!?!?!?
I think it's great when you have kids to travel with them and show them more of the world. It's a lot of work though, so it's easier if you have a husband that is helpful. But to make grand changes in your life is more difficult because it becomes more important to provide roots and stability for your children. You want them to go to one school, build relationships with friends they could potentially have all of their lives, etc.
agreed. there's no reason to think it's over. there are people who travel their whole lives, or up and take on something totally new every few years. the downfall of so many people is that they lack imagination. if you can't think outside the box, you just end up floating downstream alongside everyone else who's doing the same thing. getting a mortgage, putting down roots, settling in for a long, long time. but no one can force you to do that. as long as their your legs you just march them onto whatever adventure you want to go on:)even if you have to cough up $400 to make sure they're up to it.
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