A New Phase of Life

I’m very excited.  I feel like I’m entering a new phase of life and it all came about quite unexpectedly.  Specifically, I’ve enrolled in school to get a Master’s degree in American history.  Just writing those words excites me!  I have to write an entrance exam essay of about five to six pages and I’m also very excited about that.  I’ve ordered the books I need and I can’t wait to get started.

            My educational history has been less than stellar because I lacked either the discipline to do well, (my undergraduate work) or I lacked the interest even though I did well (my graduate work).  Now I have both the self-discipline and the interest.  Perhaps it’s my age.  Perhaps I’m just tired of not doing my best.  Perhaps I’m tired of not doing what I truly love.  Whatever it is, I know I’m ready and excited about the next phase of life.

There is a balance between living in the present and having future-oriented goals. Some of the best times of my life were when I was working towards a goal.  The more goals I have, the better I use my time.  And it is the use of time, specifically, the use of the present moment, that determines the quality of life.  Literally, each moment is precious.  It’s easy to waste moments, then minutes, hours, days, and years.  One of the things writing blogs has done for me is that it has helped me use time more wisely.  Over the months I’ve created more goals.  I’ll be honest – they’ve created some stress.  But they’ve also forced me to grow.  I’ve had to make hard choices.  I’ve had to ask myself what I really wanted and needed.  I’ve often had to go beyond what I wanted, such as sleep or a bowl of popcorn and some comic books, or a movie, to work towards what I really want – a life with my Muse.

That’s the question it comes down to in the end:  What do I really, really want?

Often I have said I wanted something, but I wasn’t willing to do the necessary work and I lost what I wanted.  I saw opportunities slip by.  Now after almost two years of writing I think I’ve demonstrated to myself, to my Muse, and to the world, that I really can sustain for the long haul.  I can Get Started and Keep Going when it’s fun and when it’s not.  I can move forward when I’m tired, busy, sick, disappointed, or even emotionally distraught, not that I want to be in any of those situations.  But when I am, doing my work often helps me get past those negative states.

As I approach my new phase of life with its increased responsibilities, I want to declare my intention to continue writing these blogs.  They are not only an act of self-discipline, but also an offering of love to those I know and perhaps some I don’t.  My writing is my way of saying, “I love you, my Muse.  Thank you for changing my life for the better.  Thank you for teaching me how to Get Started and Keep Going.”