Finding your why.
Spring has sprung, summer is getting closer!
At the start of this blog, I did not know what I wanted to do with my life. I had the dream of becoming a published poet since my sophomore year in high school. It unlocked something within me, making my mind wander and create art true to me. I became an English major to gain deeper knowledge of the field and a better understanding of how it works in a career. Until I stopped writing…
I found it to be a lost cause. No one reads the poetry that I love; it’s more romantic, classic, and deep. People nowadays love the one-line poetry on TikTok or Instagram, which I personally don’t find that good. I want to write poetry that consumes someone, as Emily Dickinson's work did for me. Only for AI to ruin that and take over the job that I want. People don't even try to find the deeper meaning within poems anymore; it is a lost art. Because of these factors, I literally thought I was going through an identity crisis, as poetry and literature are a large part of my personality. I was questioning why I am still an English major and whether I should pursue another career. Until I remembered what someone very important said to me in high school: pick up the pen and write, even if you think it’s bad. She also said, “If you think that the whole world is against you, just remember that I am always on your side. I want a signed copy of your first book!” There is SO much more this person has said that has still driven me to pursue a career as a writer, but in a slightly different way…
Another door closes, but one will always open. My passion for poetry has not closed, but making a career out of it did. The door to entering the field of mental health then opened. I love helping people with every fiber of my being: I found my why. I always knew that if I made my passion for poetry into a career, I would lose my spark for writing it. You are not meant to have everything figured out. It is your first time living, and there is no guide on how to do everything right. Making mistakes and having realizations along the way guide us to the person we grow into. For example, my brother worked a 9-5 job and is now considering a career in masonry. A huge difference for someone in their late 20s! He found his why. He found something that interests him and excites him. It can take years for you to find your purpose; you can think it's one thing, but it’s actually another. Colleges and even society put such emphasis on finding internships every summer, declaring a major in their first year, and having a career lined up after graduation. That is so much pressure for people who are still teenagers, learning to become adults! Universities fail to realize people are in a continuous state of growth, which means growing to finding their why, even if it comes to them after college. Don’t listen to people when they say you need to have everything figured out, because you don’t. Do not rush finding your purpose. You are your own person; do not try to model your life based on the fact that someone might want to be a lawyer, nurse, advisor, or whatever in life. Your journey is unique, because it’s yours! Please take your time; it should come naturally. My reasoning for wanting to write mental health books came to me naturally and after months of not knowing what to do in life. Nothing is linear. There is no rule book for life. Do you diva!
Now, here is a poem very dear to my heart. What is your interpretation of it?
Daybreak has brought something similar to the founding colonies
Awaiting outside is a hummingbird.
A steady heartbeat gives life
Each flutter of the wings attached to it, foreseeing established towns and peoples
Slowly, the breach of dawn floods the eyes of all and diminishes the hummingbird until their return
Prowling among the shadows of dawn is a raven slowly awaiting all to join its flock.
A flock fitted to accompany all with the greatest attire as they are welcomed upon the new fate of all.
