Why Do I Still Have Hope?

Today is one of those days when I am incredibly aware of how lucky I am to be given the opportunity to be working in the field I actually like. I have, once again, been reminded that not everybody gets a chance to do that because their circumstances might vary greatly. Me getting to follow my dreams and make them a reality shouldn’t be something I should feel privileged about, but the truth is that I am privileged enough to have been given a chance to do so. I just think that everyone else should, as well, even though it may sound a little unrealistic right now.

Why do I still have hope?

Maybe because I think people will someday come around to the fact that maybe people should be allowed to follow their dreams and be given the opportunity to prove themselves, instead of being shut down and told to be practical about life. Maybe ‘practical’ just sounds like the easier way out to me because it would mean settling for something we never wanted in the first place. Maybe ‘practical’ is something most people want from life. But those who dream of standing out should be given the chance to do so instead of being told to stifle themselves.

I’ve seen people turn things around for themselves after they’ve decided that they’ve had enough. I’ve seen them give up on a lot of good things just for the chance to be able to follow their dreams. It’s obviously not the ‘practical’ thing to do, but it is a brave thing to do. Most people would tell me that it might not be practical for me to write for a living, but a few stumbles and bruises later, I realize that this might actually not be a bad thing, and that I might actually have a shot at this.

And none of it would have been possible if it weren’t for the handful of people around me constantly telling me that I should most definitely give it a shot because I wouldn’t know what the future holds in store if I never even had the opportunity to test the waters for myself. I think that the change isn’t going to happen if we keep waiting for it. But if we were a little more understanding of people’s dreams and choices, and if we made an effort to support them, maybe things wouldn’t be as bad. Maybe people will actually have a shot at being able to live their dreams.

Of course, there are a bunch of other problems that need to be solved before we can think about that. But that, too, comes with general acceptance and support. We have a long way to go, but I think I have a little hope yet.

I just hope we are a little more understanding towards the people around us and what they want. Xx

---

Featured Image by Alex Wigan on Unsplash