I Took the Only Path To See You

CHAPTER 3Believing in Yourself

Let me tell you a story about a man who didn't know what he wanted. Because he didn't know what he wanted, he drifted aimlessly through life. He never caused any trouble but he never did anything worth remembering, either. Since he didn't know what he wanted, he listened to what other people told him he should do.

His parents knew what had worked for them so they wanted him to follow in their footsteps. That meant following the well-trodden path of going to college, studying hard, and getting a good job after graduation. This path promised security, but it didn't quite hold his interest.

His friends didn't know what they wanted, either, so they were content to take life one day at a time. One day, they promised themselves, they would figure out what they wanted to do but until then, they would just have fun. This path seemed the most appealing, but it did become repetitive and monotonous, like running on a treadmill that ultimately felt like nothing more than a dead end.

Other people he met, guidance counselors, relatives, and acquaintances, all had different ideas what he should do and they all gave the best advice they thought he could use. Like the path laid out by his parents, these many paths offered seemed proven and safe, but they also felt like they weren't just quite right either, like putting on a pair of jeans that was a size too small or too large.

All the messages he got from society told him the same thing. Be happy. Be responsible. ...