My roommate, Stephanie, and I recently arrived home from a spring break cruise. The cruise left from San Diego and stopped at Catalina Island and Enscenada Mexico. 
It was my first cruise and one of the best experiences of my life. We got to go horseback riding on the beach in Mexico and kayaking on the ocean in Catalina. Our ship went through a pod of dolphins; for about ten minutes, there were dolphins surrounding the ship in all directions. It was so beautiful. I have never seen dolphins in the wild before. The expanse of ocean, the cool sea wind, the sounds of the birds and waves-I would venture to say that there is nothing more serene, at least to me. There is something about the ocean that urges me to remember how fortunate I am. It makes me think about what I truly want and who I aspire to be. I had many new adventures and met fascinating people. But most importantly, this cruise made me realize two very important things.
The first: My worst fear is now being stuck on the ocean. I have seen stories about people trapped on rafts or bro
ken down boats. I would always say to myself: "So, they are on a boat. Someone will eventually find them. It could be worse." I now think there would be very few things that could ever be worse. The ocean is massive. Even when our ship basically followed the coast line, there were times when there was no land in sight. I didn't know which way society existed; I didn't know which way was home; there is a very good possibility that no one would ever find you. To a ship in the distance or an airplane, your little raft may only look like another ripple in the water. Furthermore, the degree of darkness on the ocean at night is unbelievable. Without the stars or the moon, it is impossible to take your next step, know the direction your floating, or comprehend what creature could be lurking beneath you. To say the least, it's scary.
The second thing I realized is the habitually understated fact that the world is immense. When you go on vacation, travel somewhere new, meet a dozen people, you recognize and remember the world beyond your little life. Your job, school, family, friends, that boy who broke your heart--nothing matters anymore. All that you are becomes insignificant co
mpared to all that the world is--all the lives, all the places, and all the events that are in existence at any given moment. It's important to remember that when something seems horribly wrong, in the big scheme of things, its really nothing. You fail a test; there will be a chance for extra credit. You get fired, you will find better employment. Love passes you by; you will find someone else. There are so many people and opportunities in the world; remember that your life and the circumstances in it are minute in comparison.
There is this great episode of The West Wing. Here is the premise....
It includes flashbacks outlining the history of Jed Bartlet (the President) and Mrs. Landingham (his secretary). In one of the flashbacks, Jed is a young boy attending a private school at which his father is the headmaster. Mrs. Landingham is his father's secretary. She approaches Jed with a project. The school is biased in its pay to men verses women. She brings facts and figures to Jed so he can go to his father. He argues a little with her. And Mrs. Landingham's final reply is: "If you don't confront the issue because you don't think it's true or unjust, then I respect that. But if you don't do it because you are scared, then Jed, i don't even want to know you." At the end of the episode (in current time), Jed and Mrs. Landingham have a similar conversation about Jed rerunning for his second term. She says, "If you really don't want to do it, then I respect that. But if you are not rerunning because its too hard, then Jed, I don't even want to know you."
I am blogging about a TV show because it applies greatly to my current life situation, as well as the lives of many of my friends. We seem to all reside in a common time in our lives. We are all trying to make decisions about what we want, where we want to go, how we're going to get there. I have a problem with making decisions already: what I want to wear, where I want to go to dinner, which road should I take during rush hour. However, the answers to the decisions that we are all facing right now aren't simply found on a restaurant menu; they are--at the risk of sounding clique--life changing.
I struggled for a long time between remaining at the University of Utah for graduate school or adventuring to the University of Maryland. My decision was made complicated by the opportunity of financial aid in Utah and the extreme debt I would encounter in Maryland. My friends and family are in Utah, I have no one in Maryland. I know Salt Lake City; I have connections; I know where I am going and how to get places; I know the campus and where I would live. In Maryland, I would start from the bottom and the beginning all over again. But despite all those things, I knew that Maryland would offer me the better opportunities, the better future, and the better education. So last night I gave my official notice of acceptance to the University of Maryland. If I chose to go to the University of Utah, it would not have been because I truly believed it was the right place for me to be; if I declined Maryland, it would be because it would be too hard and I was scared. We are all grown up and the answers to our decisions shouldn't be the easy choice anymore.
So to all my friends who are struggling, just like me; to all my friends who are currently mid-choice; and to all my friends who know deep down what they really want:
"If you are choosing a direction because you truly don't believe in the alternative, then I respect that. But if you are walking away from what you really want because you are scared or its too hard, then I don't even want to know you."
It was my first cruise and one of the best experiences of my life. We got to go horseback riding on the beach in Mexico and kayaking on the ocean in Catalina. Our ship went through a pod of dolphins; for about ten minutes, there were dolphins surrounding the ship in all directions. It was so beautiful. I have never seen dolphins in the wild before. The expanse of ocean, the cool sea wind, the sounds of the birds and waves-I would venture to say that there is nothing more serene, at least to me. 
ken down boats. I would always say to myself: "So, they are on a boat. Someone will eventually find them. It could be worse." I now think there would be very few things that could ever be worse. The ocean is massive. Even when our ship basically followed the coast line, there were times when there was no land in sight. I didn't know which way society existed; I didn't know which way was home; there is a very good possibility that no one would ever find you. To a ship in the distance or an airplane, your little raft may only look like another ripple in the water. Furthermore, the degree of darkness on the ocean at night is unbelievable. Without the stars or the moon, it is impossible to take your next step, know the direction your floating, or comprehend what creature could be lurking beneath you. To say the least, it's scary.
mpared to all that the world is--all the lives, all the places, and all the events that are in existence at any given moment. It's important to remember that when something seems horribly wrong, in the big scheme of things, its really nothing. You fail a test; there will be a chance for extra credit. You get fired, you will find better employment. Love passes you by; you will find someone else. There are so many people and opportunities in the world; remember that your life and the circumstances in it are minute in comparison. 