The Middle of the Road

Sometimes it’s hard to know just who you want to be.

When I was a kid full of dreams, it was easy to answer. Maybe because I was too young to know exactly what is needed to actually be someone. Or maybe I was young enough to have the strongest hold of my dreams.

Over the years, I somehow convinced myself of things I cannot be. “I’m too lazy to study, I can’t become a doctor.” “I can’t become rich if I write for a living.” Call it growing up. Call it being practical. Call it knowing my abilities and the world better.

Now, I set practical targets for myself and my dreams. But doesn’t it take away a lot from childhood dreams? Aren’t we all supposed to reach for them, no holds barred? But what if we really can’t -- does that qualify to be a life less lived? Are we meant to live lives of compromises -- of passing up big dreams for more practical ones?

There are some people who know exactly what they want and never ask these questions. There are others who don’t ask at all, because they’d rather just ride with the flow of life. I’m asking, because I guess like most of us, I’m at the middle of the road. Not knowing exactly where to go and not just letting it be.