I Have Become ...

We all become. I have become ...
Despite my plans and dreams of becoming ... , I am now ...

I am not quite sure how I got here. At age 18 and age 21 and age 30, I had much more ambition, yet I lost these grandiose schemes in favor of living with a gentler "flow." In truth, the stream of my life has been full of surprises and unexpected turns. At times, it seems nothing went as planned and fate became my unwelcome Master. In short, "things didn't turn out" quite the way I planned. And, fighting the inevitable currents became wasted time, so I naturally succumbed to becoming ...

I believe you understand what I mean. I think you, too, have become ...
Despite your plans and dreams of becoming ... , you are now ...

You don't believe me? Look back at your old understandings and perfect life philosophies. Have they changed? Would you say you sacrificed a great deal of the program and the sparkling fantasy as reality became more and more prevalent in your life? Your Disney dreams died, and you were full of remorse until acceptance took hold. You likely found out that the knight in shining armor, the beautiful princess, the good life, and the golden years were just hollow metaphors. Then, you too started to become ...

Now, before you are convinced that I'm just a heartless pessimist, take a look in the mirror. See if your image resembles mine. I believe you will see a realist, not a hardhearted defeatist. Who is judging the motives, anyhow? You have simply become ... The lines, wrinkles, scars, and grey hair in the reflection you see identify you as a survivor, not a comic book hero, god, or goddess.

Then, take a moment to look inside and examine your character. Why blame any poor development on genetics, the environment, or some tragic event in your life? If you believe you settled for second best or if you think you got some "raw deal," just be assured no one else is buying into that blame. Time continues to add or subtract to perceptions of your self worth, and, believe me, not one other person is "keeping score" of your becoming ... Brother and sister, you got it on your own.

Damn me if you like. And, kids, don't stop dreaming of becoming ...
Just don't fret when conscious decisions and consequence make you ...

I believe the importance of life is not the destination, but the journey. The route to journey's end is not one single step but a series of smaller steps that will eventually lead to ....  Yes, the period (.) at the end of your ... (life)

You can stop at any point along the way and rest, take shelter, or establish a permanent residence. Even though this place may not seem to be your Shangri-La, you can accept it or pause and make more plans to further your journey. So, the rest of the journey is up to you. Many opportunities exist in all stops, or you can travel on. Many options exist for those with vital energy and unfulfilled wanderlust -- just remember, moving forward requires additional, extensive resources.

When you begin to accept you have found something in your journey that is not exactly perfect, but close enough to make you content, you become ...  So by chance, or good fortune, you settle not for your far-flung dream but for a more realistic and attainable place, one that doesn't make you deliriously happy but certainly makes you more content.

Becoming ... is more about acceptance and grace than about achieving lofty heights. Your God-given purpose is realization of your good contributions to others. Each of us was born with the express purpose of extending love in our own, unique manner. We live well if our journey of love leads to ...

In closing, I believe that everyone wants "first prize." In the real world, this drive is natural and important to sustain competition. You must understand that achievement is relative not only in your struggles with others, but also in your struggles with yourself. You should teach this to your materialistic sons and daughters -- happiness is less dependent upon position and money than upon finding love.

I'm sure being number one is extremely gratifying. But, on the other hand, being 335th might be the best for becoming ... The obligation is clear: You must extend your talents to be the best. The personal journey is much more cloudy: You must live happily and honestly while finding yourself in a myriad of confusion.

I have become ...
I am no longer seeking to become ...

I just hope I can maintain ... until ....