The Travel

Okay, it's story time.

So, as many people know, the first couple months on a new job are always a learning experience, in more ways than one. Sure you have a new system and new faces and names to learn and remember, but if you're anything like me, you value your coworker relationships. I usually tend to get emotionally invested with a few coworkers, and develop friendships. Well, these past few months I have been working in a new place, and I have found myself the definition of these last sentences.

There's this young lady who I work with, around my age, who began chatting with me to determine my interests. Upon talking about my internship and classes I've been taking this semester, we devolved into my desire to work in recovery and my plans as a future social worker. She happens to be a Sophomore in college with similar interests and has toiled with the idea of social work. After a few excited stories and words between the two of us were shared, she quickly proclaimed, "Ugh! I'm so jealous of your life!"

Talk about really being thrown off.

My life? - HA! The one with an intensive internship on top of working this job on top of going to school full-time and trying to stay as involved as possible in my church, all while trying to maintain a stable mental health and be social, but never having enough money to do anything cool?! That one? What...

I understand that it might look cool on the outside, seeing someone who is two years further from where you currently are in life, but goodness gracious, what it took for me to simply get where I am (and I am no where close to being completed)! Plus, my life is nothing to be envious of. If you know me in the slightest, you will know that to be true. I have my fair share of crap that I go through on a daily basis, just like you and everyone else who is human. Gosh, I am far from having it all together, yet, this woman, in a sense, looks up to me.

And it really made me think.

Who is it that I look up to? And why them? Because on the outside they look more successful or happy?

The truth is life is anything but rainbows and unicorns all of the time. Sometimes it's simply caffeine and meltdowns. Sometimes it's tears of joy and relief. Sometimes it's a needed discussion wandering deep into the night, with tired eyes and raspy voices. Sometimes it's not wanting to get out of bed, because depression is slowly taking over every aspect of your life. Sometimes it's sadness for sadness sake. And then, sometimes, on the special occasion, it's pure, explainable joy.

The most realistic way to think about it is everyone is on a journey, and we are all on our own paths. It's not a race. It's not a competition. It's a matter of going your own speed to accomplish your own goals while staying in your own lane. You don't compare the beauty of the sunset to the beauty of a tulip, yet both are beautiful in their own unique way. There's no need to compare yourself to others, because if I have learned anything in the short time I've been alive it's that the only reason the grass looks greener on the other side is because it's fake.

To whoever is reading this right now: You are on the road God has created for you in order to reach your promise.

Whatever your speed, however long it will take, keep marching.

Sincerely,

A fellow traveler