If you are reading this now because you clicked on the link from Erin's blog, you win. Thank you Erin for the free advertisement.
Let's talk about the unexpected life. I am reading this book right now:
It is the best thing a single woman can read. The white lettering you see just under the lawn chair says, "The unexpected life is no less a life." For reals Kristen. Fo reals. In this book she writes about her experiences living as a single and successful woman until just before the age of 53 when she married Apostle Dallin H. Oaks of the LDS church.
I never planned to be living in the situation that I am right now. If someone had told me when I was 18 that I would be almost 26, graduated from college, single, and working in retail barely over minimum wage, I probably would have been devastated. But guess what? It's not devastating. It's just different than what I was expecting. My job is only temporary while I find a full-time position. My singleness is only temporary. My almost 26-ness is also only temporary.
In an article found in RELEVANT Magazine, Shauna Niequist writes about things everyone should know at 25(ish). Since I am currently undergoing an intensive job hunt the section where she talks about finding an occupation soothed my anxiety. She wrote, "Now is the time to figure out what kind of work you love to do. What are you good at? What makes you feel alive? What do you dream about? You can go back to school now, switch directions entirely. You can work for almost nothing, or live in another country or volunteer long hours for something that moves you. There will be a time when finances and schedules make this a little trickier, so do it now. Try it, apply for it, get up and do it." Booya. It has been so frustrating not knowing for sure what job I want and it's nice to know that I don't need to know right this second. She mentions later in the dating portion of her article that time is on our side. It really is! At 25 no one should feel like they need to rush into anything. The beauty of being 25 is that you have so many years ahead of you. There is no hurry to find that one occupation that you will be doing for the rest of your life. Try a few. Figure out what you really like and/or don't like. In the previously mentioned book by Kristen Oaks, she writes, "Nothing is more perplexing than not knowing what to do with your future, and nothing is more personally rewarding than discovering your own abilities. Read your patriarchal blessing, consider your natural aptitudes and talents and go forward. Take the first step, and doors will open."
So, as I mentioned earlier. I am most definitely living an unexpected life. As I think most people live as well. There are those who live the exact, or close to it, life they anticipate(d). I used to wish I was one of those, but I don't anymore. As I was reading Sister Oaks' book last night I realized that I can choose to sit around waiting for my personal expectations to be met (including a lot of expectations over which I have little to no control over). Or, I can do a little rearranging and adapt to what life has given me and turn the unexpected into something amazing and wonderful. I choose the latter my friends.
