When I was young, I had a remarkable talent.
I could explain the future with complete confidence.
Everything made sense back then.
The important things seemed obvious.
The difficult things seemed temporary.
The mysterious things appeared determined to introduce themselves eventually.
I was especially good at making plans.
Long plans.
Detailed plans.
Plans involving destinations, achievements, and several dramatic moments where everyone would finally realize I had been correct all along.
The future listened politely.
Then did something else.
Years later, I discovered a curious pattern.
The best friendships were not on the list.
The funniest memories were never scheduled.
Several important lessons arrived disguised as inconveniences.
And some of the doors that changed everything were originally mistaken for wrong turns.
None of this was particularly fair.
It was, however, surprisingly interesting.
Looking back, I still admire that younger version of myself.
Such confidence.
Such certainty.
Such absolutely magnificent misunderstandings.
Fortunately, youth comes with a useful feature.
You do not yet know how many things are impossible.
Which is why you spend so much time discovering they aren’t.
Livora Gracely 
Leave a comment