Looking Back

The past two weeks have taught me to look back and then look forward. Just at that moment between doing nothing and doing something we all have a choice. The real test of our mettle is whether we choose to take the rough road that might lead to our goals or do we stay on the road we already know. This is the easy road that allows us to just get by.

Three examples....

The lieutenant, the actress, and the med student. These three people do not know each other but they are connected through me.

The Lieutenant entered the military looking for adventure, training, and an education. He left with a sense of accomplishment except for in one small area. He pushed his superiors for years to assign to Asia. They refused. The soldier gets older and eventually becomes a family man. He leaves his adventures behind longing for the simpler life. Just before signing the final papers he is given the opportunity he has always wanted. The soldiers closes his mind to the idea and says goodbye to Uncle Sam. Seven years later he wishes he experienced Korea and Japan when he was thinner, faster, and longed for the next adventure.

The actress, like many in her field, is hungry for work and dreds the day when her looks and charm will no longer be enough to get the job. Her eye is focused on success through sacrifice and although she does not know what the future may bring she is determined to give her best to her passion. Love of the theatre is something I don't understand but those born with an attraction to the spotlight relish it. The actress takes the rough path for the sake of love and devotion to a dream.

The med student is like most of us. The doctor in training is torn between quitting to lead the easy life and struggling for a few more years to meet a goal. The med student can quit but will live a life always wondering what could have been. Her she can also succeed and look forward to years of debt and the threat of lawsuits. Devotion to the wellness of people is their mantra. As easy as it is to believe this, for the med student sacrifice will be unending. The difficult path the have choosen will last years for their family's and a lifetime for themselves. Why then would they take the beaten path if they know it will never smoothen?