“She sat hunched over, her back curving inwards slightly. It was her sixth straight hour staring at her computer, and she was tired. She looked to the water bottle on her right, filled with fruit punch. Taking a few swigs, she leaned back, trying to straighten her back and ease the pain. Thinking about her task list, she sighed. It would be a long night, and she knew that she would stumble into her cold apartment past midnight again. If she was lucky, she would fall asleep immediately. If not, she would resort to meditation and melatonin pills to ease her racing mind. The next day, she had meetings until the afternoon, and then would do it all over again.”

Such is the life I lead. It’s not quite as dry as this makes it sound, but it’s not as glamorous as it seems in The Social Network either. Entrepreneurship is tackling one hurdle at a time, unsure when the next will come. It’s hoping and planning and having a big vision, but being prepared to take detours to get there. It’s being criticized, doing more research, figuring out a response, standing up and doing it all over again.

Sitting next to my mother at our oval kitchen table, reading love stories on Storylane. My dad’s in the room next to us, the Clippers are on television, and my youngest brother is opening a video game from his Christmas stash.

I’m thinking about our lives today, and how the average American lives 75 years. I’m 22 right now, and assuming I live to 75, I have 53 years left.

I have so much time, and yet so little. I’ll write more about this later tonight, but for now, I wanted to give thanks for how I’ve spent these formative 22 years. My parents have taught me to think independently, to expect the best of myself, to pursue that which makes me happy over all. Now, looking forward, I have all the tools necessary to live my life in its happiest state.

I feel so blessed to be surrounded by love.

 

It’s almost a month later, and I almost completely forgot about my pledge to start writing every day at 10pm. So easy to get swept into work and friends and other obligations. I’m sort of frustrated with myself, I admit. 

Travelstrings has been crazy lately. New office, lots of progress with business model thoughts, meetings scheduled, company good. But I must make time for the things that I love.