When I graduated college, I thought life would get easier and I would have more freedom to go on adventures and try new things. So far, this idea has proven both true and false.
I don’t have homework anymore, which is a huge relief. I can sleep seven hours a night—and my body adjusted to that very quickly. I really do have the freedom to go wherever and do whatever I want. This is all restricted, however, by several realities I wasn’t prepared for.
Finding a job is hard enough even without looking for one that I will enjoy. This means that, once I eventually began working after I moved to Portland, eight hours a day is dedicated to a draining and repetitive job. Once I come home, I’m often too tired to go on those adventures I anticipated.
Additionally, money is a bigger issue than I ever imagined. It takes a lot to keep up with rent, utilities, car repairs, and groceries, not to mention the kind of money I would need to try everything I wanted to.
One of the hardest realities I’ve faced, however, is the lack of community. Moving to an entirely new place where I only know my roommates is surprisingly lonely. Going out by myself is hard, and in Portland I’m not even familiar with the places to go.
But I don’t regret moving. Every choice I’ve made since graduating has taught me something, and I’m grateful for it.
Life is hard. That isn’t a new lesson, but I’m learning it all over again. It’s a constant struggle to maintain relationships and feel like you’re living something meaningful and not purposeless. But that’s what a journey is, isn’t it? A difficult process that often turns out to be its own reward. Things aren’t going to fall into my lap the way I want them too. I have to go and search them out, make them happen, even when I’m tired and busy.
This means googling churches and putting myself out there to get involved, in order to build my own community. It means writing a blog post when I don’t exactly know what to say so I can increase my portfolio and writing experience.
At the same time, I also need to have the right perspective.
My life is never going to be the endless adventure I want it to be. I have an unrealistic view of what I want, but always anticipating a perfect future is going to prevent me from seeing and enjoying what I do have.
Now I need to learn how to focus on what I have, no matter how small it is. A walk through the neighborhood, playing a game with my roommates, a conversation at church. I’ve discovered how important these can be, even if it isn’t a trip to Europe, a night out in Portland, or a grand act of service.
This is all easier said than done, but as they say, nothing worth having comes easy.
In what ways have you seen this in your own life? How have you learned to live in the moment, or worked to make something happen?