I Chose My own Adventure

I love reading. When I was younger, I will pick up any book and get lost in it. They were great escapes of all time. I am a sponge absorbing everything in, feeling every moment, etcetera. My brother, on the other hand, did not like books. He preferred comics and graphic ones. If ever, the only other book that he had without too many illustrations would be the choose your own adventure books.

I tried reading it and understood why he likes it – the story can be short depending on how you chose your path. You will be given choices to continue after a scenario. And then some choices will make your adventure longer and some choices will lead you to end your adventure quickly.

Questions in life work the same way as the choices in the book. In more ways than one, questions are good start off point in leading yourself to where you want to be. Questions can be directional, and they can also be for self-affirmation.

Yup. Taking this time again to join in on the fun of writing prompts initiated by @JonicaBradley : Questions

Let us tread on a rather less heavy path shall we… ?

Growing up we get to be asked eons of time when we reach the age of four, I think: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

The answer to that is somehow crucial because if you end up not getting what you wanted to be when you grow up, it gets thrown back at you – “I thought you’d be a  <insert the answer you have given them in your innocent days and you haven’t really discovered your real interest but you were just lip syncing what mum and dad said> ?”

That question about growing up though, gets drowned out after giving them a “satisfactory answer” and your life goes on and you do not get to ask yourself that question until college application. Yes, of course, this does not happen to everyone. I know a lot of people who were determined and were also convinced that it was their fate and calling to become who they said they want to be when they were four. But to some, some things they would need to alter depending on their situation – probably also a result of having to answer questions in their head like:

·        Is it really something I would like to do?

·        Do I envision myself doing that?

·        Can we afford it?

Then off they go with whichever path they chose.

Also, to some, they needed to alter directions mid-implementation of the path they thought they want to tread. I never had so many questions to myself and to everything until I encountered one fine day of having to decide to stay the course or to give up.

Of course, you aim your angry questions to the very Man you placed your entire trust in:

·        Why?

·        Where were You?

·        Why did You not change things to my favor?

·        This is my dream. I thought it matters to you?

It was in those times that I stumbled on Philip Yancey (haha book plug). His books blurt out the state of my heart then :

·        Where is God when it hurts?

Philip Yancey had the proper words to say at the proper time. I know they were heavy thoughts, but I think my soul understood. Haha.

Recovering from that and getting on my feet. The next question was:

·        What now?

Because I suddenly do not know what I want in life.

Fast forward to where I am now and looking back at the situations that led me to question a lot of things made me understand myself better. Understand my position as a child of God even. My dreams do matter to Him after all. It was a crazy adventure.

Even then, after that, we are not really without questions because years later I found myself with the same questions as:

·         Is it really something I would like to do?

·        Do I envision myself doing that?

·        For how long? For real?

I guess we have questions repeating themselves in another chapter of our lives because they are crucial questions for self-check if we are still “okay” with where we are. Questions lay out directions. And then there are some that lingers but you are too darn lazy to really give yourself an answer to:

·        Am I staying in this job because of the pay?

·        Do I really want kids?

·        Do I really want to settle down?

Apart from:

·        Did I get it right?

·        Was I good enough?

·        Did they like it?

·        Am I going to get fired?

And then this: Am I happy?

One question that may sounds simple to answer but given a different tone, it sounds heavier and demands a deeper self-scrutiny.

Heya! sorry to have bored you with that. But thank you for reaching this far! You think it would interest you to write about the prompt as well for fun? Simple rules to follow:

1.)    Write about “questions”.

2.)    Write 100% original content

3.)    Write at least 600 words.

4.)    Tag @JonicaBradley

5.)    Have helluva fun!