A few months ago I was complaining about feel stuck. I felt stuck in a mood, stuck in a job, stuck in discontentment. During the last month, these feelings have faded and I've started to feel progressive and positive about everything! New job, newly married, and diving head-first into this new life. Unfortunately, this buzz was killed when I ran into an old "friend" from high school.
During a candid, random discussion, this person told my best friend and me about how he despised our hometown and hated the idea of settling down, getting married, and staying in such a stale, lifeless area. He went on to say how the majority of his (worthless) high school pals have stay around here and "done nothing" with their lives. He sure does make this place sound ideal, eh?
Moments after he finished his rant, another (better) friend sat down.
Other friend (had been at the wedding):: Me (sitting there quietly)
Other friend: Hey guys!
Me (us): Hey, Xxxxx!
Other Friend: Audrey! How's married life?
*high school "friend" goes pale and tries to regain his "cool composure"....*
I'm sure this high school friend knew that I'd gotten married recently, but he certainly didn't have it in mind as he was describing and beating down MY life. For the next few hours or so I began to feel...bad... about my life and decisions I'd made. I thought about some of my friends that spent their college weekends going out and getting to know the whole campus or the friends that were jumping right back into grad school and moving out of town for another 2 or 3 years. I wondered what life would be like if I hadn't found the right guy at age 16 and, instead, I flirted and dated my way through college and my 20's.
Then I stopped thinking like this. I believe that it's important to realize that EVERYONE has a different path to take. I certainly would NOT have enjoyed partying every weekend or living on a campus with 50,000+ students. I like the countryside. I love my husband. When I look in the mirror I see a (relatively) level-headed, small-town college graduate with a wonderful, successful husband and a slow-yet-exciting life. I don't see a crazy, outgoing, it-girl bound for the West Coast... but I don't want to be that girl.
I want to go to graduate school and I want to travel the country and the world and I want to live right here and be settled and always have my hometown (that I do NOT despise) to come back to at the end of a trip. I'm not pathetic or lazy or unambitious in the least. I like me.
Now, I don't want to put anyone else or their lifestyle down, but after ragging on our small town this "friend" went on to say how he's only here until he finds a job elsewhere. Why doesn't he have a job? Well, he decided he worked hard in college and he spent his last 2 weeks drinking every night instead of filling out applications and interviewing. Um....ok.... In hindsight, I have it better :) I got through college and made it out early, then got myself a full-time job before moving into a BETTER, more enjoyable full-time job. As for being stuck in this town, I lived in India for a month. It doesn't get much more adventurous.
The moral to the story is to each his own, but I think the subtle moral is don't let others bully you into someone you're not. You're you and it took a long time to become that person- don't change because someone else doesn't quite understand how great it is to be you. Work hard, appreciate every moment, and be proud of yourself every now and again :)
During a candid, random discussion, this person told my best friend and me about how he despised our hometown and hated the idea of settling down, getting married, and staying in such a stale, lifeless area. He went on to say how the majority of his (worthless) high school pals have stay around here and "done nothing" with their lives. He sure does make this place sound ideal, eh?
Moments after he finished his rant, another (better) friend sat down.
Other friend (had been at the wedding):: Me (sitting there quietly)
Other friend: Hey guys!
Me (us): Hey, Xxxxx!
Other Friend: Audrey! How's married life?
*high school "friend" goes pale and tries to regain his "cool composure"....*
I'm sure this high school friend knew that I'd gotten married recently, but he certainly didn't have it in mind as he was describing and beating down MY life. For the next few hours or so I began to feel...bad... about my life and decisions I'd made. I thought about some of my friends that spent their college weekends going out and getting to know the whole campus or the friends that were jumping right back into grad school and moving out of town for another 2 or 3 years. I wondered what life would be like if I hadn't found the right guy at age 16 and, instead, I flirted and dated my way through college and my 20's.
Then I stopped thinking like this. I believe that it's important to realize that EVERYONE has a different path to take. I certainly would NOT have enjoyed partying every weekend or living on a campus with 50,000+ students. I like the countryside. I love my husband. When I look in the mirror I see a (relatively) level-headed, small-town college graduate with a wonderful, successful husband and a slow-yet-exciting life. I don't see a crazy, outgoing, it-girl bound for the West Coast... but I don't want to be that girl.
I want to go to graduate school and I want to travel the country and the world and I want to live right here and be settled and always have my hometown (that I do NOT despise) to come back to at the end of a trip. I'm not pathetic or lazy or unambitious in the least. I like me.
Now, I don't want to put anyone else or their lifestyle down, but after ragging on our small town this "friend" went on to say how he's only here until he finds a job elsewhere. Why doesn't he have a job? Well, he decided he worked hard in college and he spent his last 2 weeks drinking every night instead of filling out applications and interviewing. Um....ok.... In hindsight, I have it better :) I got through college and made it out early, then got myself a full-time job before moving into a BETTER, more enjoyable full-time job. As for being stuck in this town, I lived in India for a month. It doesn't get much more adventurous.
The moral to the story is to each his own, but I think the subtle moral is don't let others bully you into someone you're not. You're you and it took a long time to become that person- don't change because someone else doesn't quite understand how great it is to be you. Work hard, appreciate every moment, and be proud of yourself every now and again :)
