Trapped In The Margins

I never imagined that my adult life would be the one that I am currently living. I imagined one where I had the money to take trips, no one could tell me what to do, and that I could eat all the chocolate I wanted. I imagined a life with no rules and the freedom to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I never imagined the true struggle of adulthood because my mother shielded me from that reality. My overactive imagination would have never conceived such a harsh reality because I am an idealist.

The naivety from my childhood has waned over the years. I’m not as wet behind the ears anymore. This means that I am actually growing up, but some days I want to grow back down. I find myself in meetings full of people over 40 and I see how disconnected they are from the causes they are fighting for. It’s easy to put yourself into a bubble. It’s easy to shut yourself off from the world. Those people are twice removed from the causes that they used to fight for from the front line.

I never want to get into a state where I am no longer angry about what’s happening in the world. I never want to lose sight of the people that I am helping. I want to help people, not corporations that are people. My reality check is that I am heading into the field to see what’s actually happening and how I can help. I will continue walking on the tightrope between childhood innocence and adulthood because the creativity and innovation there can spur new ideas. Those ideas can be put into action only by those willing to do the work. Hard work. Who knew?

Welcome to adulthood. I hope that you enjoy your stay.