When Wreck This Journal instructed me to make a sign, I had to think about it for a while. Signs are supposed to convey something important like “Stop,” Wet Paint,” or the name of a street. They say things we all need to be aware of for one reason or another, so I took this assignment very seriously. It came down to the question of “What is something I think everyone should know?”
After mulling it over, I realized my sign had to reflect the most significant lesson I learned as an adult. Let’s call it my “epiphany moment” as it shaped my entire outlook on life. I wasn’t very far outside of 18 when I learned my goal for life would never include the word “normal.” One evening, it dawned on me that there is always more than one road and it was up to me to find them. It seemed fitting that my journal page should be a visual representation of this epiphany:
A Fork in the Road
Reality sometimes has a pretty narrow view of life and it often fools us into thinking there is only one path in which to travel. It’s easy to think that being normal is what we should all strive to be as that’s what we are taught from the very beginning. At the very least, normalcy is the most comfortable and safe way to think. I’ll admit, I find myself in that rut from time to time, but I never stay for long. Life should be about challenging myself to seek out other paths and live a life that has meaning to me as an individual. This sounds like a no-brainer, but it takes a bold mindset to wander off the paved road and get your shoes dirty on the less traveled path. There are no lines dividing traffic and no rules about how to drive. Sometimes there are twists and curves that defy logic. It takes loads of self-belief to shoulder the confusion of those who don’t understand. They’ll stare at you and shake their heads. However, the hardest part is making the choice to see there is path meant only for you.
What would you put on your sign?
c.b. 2011
C.B. Wentworth 