This evening I took a little stroll down memory lane. A young person in my life put it out there this evening that that person's partner had some trouble with school and didn't know what to do. I reminded this person that my ex was in the exact same position as the partner, though it was a million years ago, and that if my ex could turn it around and now have a career and a life journey he can be happy with, the partner can too.
I offered to give advice if needed; after all, my ex and I each have a history of fuck-ups at school, though mine resulted in a journey that was more twisted and surprising. All told, it took me nine years, three schools, and about seven different programs just to get my Bachelor of Arts degree. That an experience I can't regret, because I learned a lot of lessons about myself and the world, and I gained a lot of perspective which I hope I've been able to share with others so they can benefit too.
Going back a bit, Etienne said something to me this summer about how it seems that I don't question things. Well, there are two answers to this. First of all, if it appears that I don't question something that, by all accounts, I should be questioning, it's usually because I've had some kind of previous experience that tells me something is less 'shades of grey' and more 'black and white' and that I don't want to go down that road again. Second, as I informed him, I never stop questioning. If I've gained one valuable insight from my year in the Social Policy Issues diploma program, it's this: it's all about context, and I can't presume to recognize the "right" context for every social interaction because I don't experience that interaction from other perspectives. So, I may try to be understanding, but that doesn't mean I ever stop pushing to know the who, what, when, where, why and how of life.
Here's to the journey, not the destination...
...Wish you were here.
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