Oh the places you'll go!

"Where do you plan to go?"
"What do you plan to do in your future?" 

Those two questions I have gotten a lot lately.  Being a senior in high school it seems like you have to decide your future within this next few months.  This may be one of the most stressful times in our life.  Trying to earn money by working, filling out scholarships to get into the school you want, studying your hardest for that ACT, doing home working, supporting the Aurora teams, and many other activities we might have isn't exactly a walk in the park. 

I am one of those people who does not like thinking about the future. I worry non stop about it, what is going to happen, and how it's going to turn out, but there is really no need. "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today." Matthew 6:34 I remember this verse when I am thinking about my future.  I just want to know if I'm going to get the job I interview for, or get accepted to the college I want.  Will I find my "dream guy?"  But if we think and stress about the futures what good is going to do us?  "Worry is like a rocking chair- it gives us something to do but it doesn't get us anywhere."-Unknown. This quote is VERY true.  We can worry for hours but it gets us absolutely no where!  I feel like seniors have a lot of pressure having to decide their future.  But think about it do we really need to plan out our future and what we want to do for the rest of our lives right this moment in time?  No.  Many people change their mind and that is perfectly fine!
I realize it is very important to get into a good college and get scholarships, but if you don't get into the college we want we still should follow our dream.  Not getting what you want isn't failure! I have been asked many times.. "What is your dream or passion?"  "What is something you could do everyday and never get bored?"  I honestly don't know how to answer that question.  The only dream I ever had was to become an Olympic Gymnast, or a barrel horse racer.  It's a little late for those dreams! 

I think this point in my life I need to realize what is really important.  Of course college is important but I think family definitely comes before that.  I would much rather stay at home and help my dad on the farm, or help my mother with chores around the house.  Most of all I want to watch my niece grow up and be there when my sisters win state volleyball! I think that being a better person and family member is going to get me farther than a college degree will ever get me.

I am not scared to go to college I am just unsure.  I wish I knew what career I wanted to go into but nothing has made me "excited."  I have thought about teaching, I love kids but I kinda lose patience.  I think patience is a key part to teaching.  I just assume kids know things when they don't.  I have also considered being a nurse but I faint when I see blood and I kinda figured that would be a problem with being a nurse. The most ideal job or plan for my future would be a stay at home mother.  Raise little cowboys and cowgirls and have my husband take over my fathers land.  But I of course can't go into my future thinking that I am going to find someone.  Sounds silly I know. But I absolutely loved having a stay at home mother.  I didn't even realize how lucky I was until I went to my friend’s house and they had to do their own laundry!

If I never decide what to do with my life or never find my "cowboy” I will come back and run the farm.  The "Oswald" farm has been in my family for three generations.  I would be the fourth.  Having no brothers, us girls aren't exactly excited to take over.  But how would you feel if your name was John the fourth and you had a son and didn't name him John?  That would be ruining the tradition!  My father isn't putting pressure on any of us girls to "take over" the farm but I know deep down inside when he retires he wants it to be in the hands of someone in the family or someone he truly trusts.  Farming is kind of known as a "manly" job but who says a women can't do it? Anything men can do women can do better! :)

I guess I want to live life and just accept every day as it comes.  It's hard for me to not worry but I try my best because if we think about it doesn't do any good!