(17, CA, USA) Carly - A Million Dreams
I cannot fathom how many times I have been asked some rendition of the phrase “what do you want to do in life?” A million times I have been asked some twisted variation of this grand question. In elementary school, it was “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Answers were whimsically imaginative, ranging from being a rockstar, or an artist, or even a princess. In high school, the question became “what do you want to pursue in your future?” However, our childhood aspirations were suddenly deemed unfeasible. Hopes and dreams became considered a foolish waste of time. The devil whispered into your listening ears, telling you every reason that you should give up. He instilled a sense of fear so great that you would leave your dreams behind in the waiting room, losing your passion in order to squeeze yourself into society’s mold of what you can and cannot do.
However, falling into this mold is submitting to a life in which you are incapable of achieving real and true happiness. The devil insists that you must pursue something more “realistic”, that you must stick to one path and never stray. Despite the devil’s persistence, I am consumed by the desire to pursue a million dreams. I am drawn to the bustling atmosphere of the big city, a life surrounded by fashion. I desire to find my place in the business world, weaving my passion into garments and fabric. Yet a part of me longs for the stage, spending each day accompanied by nothing more than music notes and guitar strings. I envision myself before a crowd, allowing my voice to carry me along my path. But perhaps I’d rather channel my dreams into words, pursuing the tranquility and peace that writing brings me. Still, a piece of my heart is devoted to seeing the world, leaving behind the comfort of familiarity and discovering the wonders of every place I have yet to see.
At 17, I simply do not know exactly who I want to be. However, I do know what flame flickers within me. It is a burning fire of passion, a refusal to submit to a life where my hopes and dreams are held captive by the waiting room. No matter where that passion may lead me, I reject the notion that I must abandon my aspirations in favor of fitting into society’s expectations.
