Living La Ancha Vida!
When you were young did you get asked, “What do you want to be when you
Living la vida ancha as an astronaut
grow up?” My answer was different almost every time I was asked…A milkman…An astronaut…A teacher…A foreign correspondent…A mommy.
“You’ll need to decide,” I was told, but the fact is, I still haven’t decided what I want to be when I grow up. And by the time I’m 90, I probably still won’t.
It’s just that there are simply so many interesting things to do! When I read about fascinating occupations or avocations, I want to learn more. And I want to try everything!
Something’s wrong with the notion that one has to decide on only one path for the rest of his or her life. It may seem a little more graceful, slightly more dignified, a tad more predictable. But doesn’t it run the risk of also being a lot more boring?
I like a saying they have in Mexico: “La vida es corta, pero ancha.” That is, “Life is short, but it’s wide.”
I favor grabbing for all the experiences this life has to offer— going wide — and ending with an epitaph that reads more like a full-length novel than a short story.
merrillcom
I, too, have yet to decide what I’ll be when I grow up! As of yesterday, I’m planning to be a performer in Cavalia. Or lead travelling caravans in Ireland. And maybe moonlight by teaching a motorcycle safety class.
I love your expression of ‘going wide’ and experiencing all we can. I think of it as riding the margins of life!