I know you have thought about it! As a kid you may have even packed a suitcase filled with your most valuable possessions (i.e. your Lego starcraft fighter, your Pokemon cards, your favorite stuffed animal). When I decided to run away from home I was probably around 8 years old and I had just gotten in trouble for not cleaning my room. So I took out my suitcase and packed my valuables. My stuffed bunny rabbit "Big Mama", my priceless plastic beaded necklaces and a blanket was all I needed to survive in the world. I decided that I would save time and energy by using my roller blades as an escape vehicle. I would be long gone by the time my mom even noticed I was missing.
As I was packing up my mom came into the room telling me that lunch was ready. As she eyed my suitcase and my roller blades sitting by my bed I thought I was surely caught and that I would have to regroup and make my escape under darkness. To my surprise she sat down on the bed and asked me where I was going and what my plan was. She listened intently and was very supportive of my venture. What?! She wasn't going to stop me?! O.o At this I decided that it was best to eat lunch, to gain my strength for my trip of course, and then leave at my leisure. Of course, then I would need a nap after lunch in order to have energy to roller blade across the country... or at least to AmPm.
Needless to say, I ended up staying. I probably decided that my pets needed me and so I would sacrifice my freedom for the good of the household.
Of course we roll our eyes at our immaturity as children and pride ourselves on our intelligence as adults. However, one doesn't need to look too deeply to realize that being a "grown-up" is just code for "getting taller" and not necessarily leaving behind childish thoughts. Im not going to lie and say, "I haven't thought of running away after that point". In fact, I thought about it this morning. How great would it be to pack my bags, close my bank account and fly away to Costa Rica?!
I have it all planned out! You don't need a work visa to work in Costa Rica under 90 days (yes, I have actually done the research for it)! So I will take June, July and August to live in Central America. My bag of "valuables" will include my surfboard, bikini, flip flops and, of course, my blanket. I will probably work in a bar on the beach and surf during my breaks. If everything goes according to plan I will probably meet a dark skinned, light eyed, Costa Rican musician. Of course he surfs and writes poetry and will be stunned by my slow-motion entrance into the water. What could possibly go wrong?!!...
"Pencils down!" O.o snapped back into reality! I walk up to the professor and lay down my scantron and test. I feel okay about it mostly but who knows. Maybe I should have spent more time studying and less time looking up flight prices to Central America and information on work visas.
At all this I say, I am still a believer in spending time to dream! If you cant escape in real life than dream about your escape instead. Who knows?! Maybe one day it will come true! When life gets tough, whether you are 8 or 21, I don't think it is wrong to contemplate escape. What really matters, in the end, is whether you do or not. As you can see I am still here, still studying, still dreaming and doing the best I can with this part of my life. I would love to hear your escape plan as well! I know you have one ;)
Remember: The secret of happiness is not in doing what one likes, but in liking what one does. -Sir James Barrie
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