Wither Up

I have been reading a book titled ‘The Huntress’ by Kate Quinn. The setting is during the 2nd World War. It flips between two main people- one during the war and the other during a time after the war. Anyways, the time was so different then. Families had a shop that was the family business and everyone worked there when they got old enough to do so. Then the shop passed down from generation to generation. That’s how it was. The father was a business man whose son would one day walk in his footsteps. Women stayed home to chase babies and keep house before the war… and even after the war was over. The women who survived just had to go right back to housekeeping. It was a different time. The young character in the book said ‘All dreams wither up in the glaring light of real life.’ 

Wow.. that is so profound. 

I remember being in high school. I kept telling myself that was going to be big someday. When I turned 18, I would finally have the strength to walk out David’s door and never look back. I was going to New York, ya’ll! I was going to change my name and become a photojournalist. I would hitch hike there, if I had to. ‘Couldn’t be treated worse than I have my whole life.” I would tell myself. Whatever it took to get away. 

That’s not how it was. I ran away, graduated early, and got out of town. Didn’t go far though; El Dorado, AR. I remember sitting in my mom’s house, months later, feeling disappointed. How I hadn’t fulfilled my dream. How I hadn’t went to New York. There I was living with my mom and working because that is what you gotta do. There it was- the realization that life had swallowed up my dream. It took a while to get over, but I did. (Turns out- not a fan of New York. LOL)

Sometimes this is still true, for me. The things you always want to do. Or the things you wish you had time for… BOOM! Life is just standing there like ‘HELLO! You’ve got no time. You have responsibilities. Turn around and go back to start. Do not pass GO! Do not collect $200.’ Oh wait.. that’s Monopoly, not The Game of Life. :D

So I just grab onto what I can and let go of most everything else. Life will change your focus. It will bring you everything and nothing. It will suck and be great. It goes up & down and back again. Hold on tight.