From the time I was old enough to think about what I wanted to do with my life, my father taught me that it was important to be able to provide for myself. "The only person you can count on to take of you in this world is you- well, and me," he used to tell me. His American Dream was to live a comfortable life; one where he didn't have to worry about money. On the other hand, my mother taught me that it was more important to find my passion. She believed that simply finding a job to make good money would never be fulfilling for me. Her dream was to do what makes her happy everyday. I saw the importance in each of these views on life, and my American Dream was born out of my desire to marry these ideas.
My American Dream is to discover my passion in life, and be able to used that passion to provide for myself. I don't want to have to worry about money, but I believe it is more important to be happy. Without happiness what is the point of going to the same old job everyday? I've seen people with a stable job, but a lack of passion for what they do. They seem like they have it all; like they've achieved their American Dream, but there is a sense of happiness missing from their life that they sometimes don't even know they're missing. However, I've seen overly passionate people, too. Those who can't give up on their dreams, no matter the cost. Eventually the stress of not being able to provide for themselves drains a good amount of their happiness too. I refuse to be stuck at a job I hate, or to even settle for a career that doesn't truly interest me, but in order to truly grasp the American Dream I know I need to provide for myself in the long run.
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| Volunteering at the North Bay Heart Walk. |
I started volunteering at hospitals as a junior in high school, and I saw some horrible things. People in so much pain they couldn't even move. People who had been in bike accidents, or fallen off of roofs, or people who had tried to take their own lives. When I saw these people so desperate for help, and the emergency room nurses who came to their aid, I knew I had found my passion. I am passionate about helping people, healing people. Helping people in need was what was going to make me happy in life. I soon realized that a career in nursing would allow me to pursue my passion and provide for myself. Nursing would give me the opportunity to explore different ways to help people, while building a stable career. It's the best of both worlds for me; it's the foundation of my dream. I am just starting on my pathway to nursing, but I have the first part of my dream done. I know my passion. Now I start on making the second part of my dream a reality by going to nursing school.
Our take on "The American Dream" is very similar. It is also my goal to be successful in something I love doing. After reading your post it isa trend among both of us that the American Dream of our parents shaped our dreams although they differ from those of our parents which I find interesting.
ReplyDeleteFor a long time, I also struggled to decide on a career path that would give me a stable job as well as allow me to do something I am passionate about. And, also like you, I volunteer at my local hospital since high school. As we both chose nursing for our future career, I can see that our ideas of the American Dream are quite similar. Nursing is a wonderful profession that allows people to achieve the American Dream by giving them a life in which they can help those in need and generate a steady income.
ReplyDeleteThis American dream is both incredibly understandable and painfully eye-opening. I feel this perspective is especially tangible for ourselves as young adults because of how we are thrown into a society that seemingly continues to demand more of us every day at more efficient and shorter increments. It is quick for me to latch on to the dream of being able to be both successful and happy, simply because I believe you're right; it does seem like it's impossible to be both at the same time.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, I can relate with you in terms of your experience as a volunteer. It is not easy to forget the pain brought by walking by distraught families in tears and never feeling like you have done enough to help them. I feel that such experiences are what have come to shape your unique American Dream, and I am inspired by your aspiration to combine two ideas that seem to contradict each other in todays society: happiness and success.
This is a beautiful blog, Amanda. I love the background you chose/created.
ReplyDeleteNice post too.