Most Important Finding #1: No matter how much people tell you, Indian or Non-Indian people YOU ARE NOT FREAKIN' AS OLD AS DIRT! In many psychological and scientific aspects people call being 25 the quarter life crisis period. It is when one is too old to hang out with the college kids, but too young to hang out with the married, single, with kids, or without kids middle aged adults. It's also a period where you aren't studying, but aren't the rich old person that can drive the expensive car and go around the world to expand your horizons and really forget your criss. It's a period in ones life where you are BROKE, and are trying to find out WHAT IT IS YOU ARE EXACTLY MADE TO DO in your life. It's also a time where an individual finds out that right after college your not going to be driving the nice car, living in the nice house , and wearing the expensive clothes right after graduation. Though this sad realization hits you later than you'd like, I dont' feel that it's a negative. Being 25 for me is quite a humbling experince. I've been shown at 24 that, yes, life doesn't go as I have expected it too, but there are a whole bunch of oppurtunities out there for me and all I need to do is jump on them; and with hard work and perserverance I'll be a successful individual not only materially, but as an human being. Yes I've lived a quarter of my life (assuming I live to one hundred), which in a realistic point of view is not going to happen, but I looking at it that way makes me want to live with more enthusiasm and live each day to the fullest. As for marriage and partners etc... I think YOUR NOT TO OLD, you have time and life runs its own course and time is what will find you the right one, not age!
Time has found me mine, and I have to say I value him more and more each day and as I get older I learn what a integral part of my life he is and how he makes me want to live each day even better.
Most Important Finding #2 Value The ones you love and try and enjoy as much time possible you have with them! As I've grown older I've seen many people sick in the last few years and a few I've seen pass away at such a young age. If I look at myself now from when I was in college. I remember I was busy busy busy and life was about studying studying studying. An education is important don't get me wrong, but find time for those you love. I don't regret putting school work aside at times to spend time with my girls and my parents. I may be behind a little, but I'll tell you, it was worth it. You can't get back moments spent with those you love. Cherish them.. enjoy them.. and for those whom you cared for and really didn't value you.. let them be.. and hope that maybe oneday... they'll think like you and if not.. don't waste your precious moments on a person who can't value the meaning of why you are living. I live for the ones I love and the ones I care for.. compassion is what human beings are made for and I really do believe that.
Most Important Finding #3: Your parents don't hate you or make your life hard on purpose. They just love you and want the best for you. As I become older I become more and more understanding to my parents. Don't get me wrong. We fight, we yell, we argue, but I try to empathize with them. When your young your parents are wrong, when you an adolescent they are annoying, and when your an adult they are the ones that were your stepping stones and YES their weirdness and craziness makes sense. I love my mom and dad and as I grow older I realize their stubborness is a part of their love for me. They want me to be my best and want the best for me. It doesn't mean what they want from me is always right, but it is important to understand the middle ground and not just your point of view. Don't ever give up on the ones that never gave you up on you . It's hard and rigorous, but I think more to myself more and more, what if I had a daughter what if I were mom. What if I were dad and I find that I might have similar thoughts to them. Really.. try it.. its weird how you find you really do see their view! Time is short on earth, thats what I have really found out, and time with your parents even shorter. So learn to cherish them and spend time with them. I don't ever want to think oh I wish I had done this with mom or done that with dad. I want to say, yes I did this with mom and dad and it was etc..
Most Important Finding #4: Dreaming is dangerous when action isn't taken. I dream of learning dance one day, I dream of becoming a counselor, I dream of having a home, husband, children and the white pickett fence. Look... you can say all you want, but you really need to take action.The children and husband can wait for me , but try what you think you might enjoy and accelerate in. Work hard in career aspiration because really, YOU CAN DO IT! I love sketching, but I really hadn't opened up my sketchbook or paint set in a while, but at work I realized painting soothes me so I also went out and bought and a paint by numbers and HAD A BLAST! (to which I'll post the painted painting once the piece is finished) and I opened up Gurneet's art supply box finally and found out many new things! TRY IT, don't just SAY IT! You'll be amazed at what you find out about yourself.
Most Important Finding #5: Educate yourself. Knowledge IS power. The more you know the more you find out about not only about things around you, but about yourself. You grow in not only in terms understanding about facts, but about finding out about yourself. I realize each and ever day that when I learn something new, it adds on to the I know about me list. I recently picked up Dalai Lama's book "The Meaning of Happiness" just to skim and ended up reading the whole thing! Not only that, I realized that spirtually I haven't grown as a person and decided to look into more spirtual aspects of my life and in return found that I can take a spiritual outlook into my career, education and personal life. It's amazing what knowledge can do. It can change others lives too. My wanting to be a counselor can provide those individuals/children with behavioral health issues such an impactful few months, I had never known that. If my one word can make a difference in ones life and my one act can change a child's life at times, my thousands of dollars of education and even free knowlege has been worth that one moment and one word I spoke. As I grow older I realize college helped me understand others and their problems, educating onself about others and issues can provide a step closer to helping one another.
So though, being 25 may be a quarter crisis for some, I think it's been an eventful 25 years for me. I've grown and am proud to say I'm 25! I thank god for the opportunity to let me live and see this age and really allow me to grow! Quarter Life Crisis, MY BUTT! I'm going to live this 25th year with all the enthusiasm I can!
