Yesterday, as I was driving over the water, sun on my face, to visit another old friend, memories of years past swirled in my head. I was particularly thinking about my college years. Those days were so full of hopeful anticipation of the life that stretched out before me. Anything could happen. God, they are fond memories.
All of us have traveled our own paths since, some truly going on to change the world in big ways, and others in smaller ways that still matter. I was marveling at the uniqueness of each of our lives since we graduated, which made me wonder who has found success. I started to question whether the word success as it's defined even really matters in the end.
My idealistic vision of success has changed since the years I planned runs (my time to think) around making it up the lawn to the rotunda in the early morning sun. Back then I was busy climbing towards some far-off place full of accomplishments, where, once I'd arrived, I'd finally sit back and enjoy the view. What I didn't realize then was that the joy of late night Little Johns, lectures that challenged me, and Foxfield in the spring was not a part of the climb. I was already on the proverbial mountaintop at the time.
So how about now? There are people in my life who, hands down, have made an incredible impact... but yet it's become clearer that those things aren't "it." At least for me. For me, success in this moment is finding peace and happiness in the life I lead and those things are not implicitly connected to achievements (though they have certainly helped propel me forward).
Now my goals aren't as objective as they once were. I strive to continue growing, to be a good friend, to laugh, but also to allow myself to feel pain when it comes. I want to always be unfraid to go all in, even if it's risky.
Funny though, because it doesn't much matter to anyone else what my goals are or how I define success. That's something we all have to find for ourselves. How incredibly invigorating to be a part in not only my own adventure but to catch a glimpse of what "it" is for those walking beside me. I'm still full of hopeful anticipation.
