Thursday, March 21, 2013

My American Dream


It’s the American Dream
Or so we’ve been told
Or more like programmed
“What do you want to be
when you grow up?”
We’re expected to know
Before we even hit high school

Go to college.
Land a career.
Get married.
Raise a family.
Save for retirement.
It’s like a lifelong to-do list
…That ends in death?

We’re always taught to plan ahead
To look to the next step
Where will you be in 5 years? 10 years?
A hard question you’re always expected to know

“You’d better know your major coming in,
So you can graduate on time”
“Don’t you have an internship for the summer?”
“What are you doing after graduation?”
“What do you mean you don’t have a job lined up?”
“Aren’t you going to grad school? Your doctorate?”

Why does life have to be a race?
It seems like we’re always running…
Racing through college,
Climbing the ladder, working 9-5,
…For what? Money? Fame? Fortune?
None of that matters in the end
You can’t take it with you when you go

Why do we have to race through life?
We get so caught up in running
That we forget to live
Life is not a race.
It is a journey.
We don’t need to run.

Photo credit: Helen Lacey

I’ve been in college 5 years now
And still don’t know what I want
to be “when I grow up”
As far as a career goes, that is.
I’m going back to my dream job this summer
Seasonal work, not a “real, big-kid job”
Back to the land and people that I love
And I have no idea where I’ll be come fall
And I’m totally okay with that
I won’t be trapped by society’s rules
That some rich folks made up
All for the sake of money
Because money can’t buy my happiness
I have my plans in place
But there are no deadlines
What is meant to be, will be
No sense in worrying myself about it
Because I trust God will take care of me
I will live each day
And follow my dreams
Take care of this land
And my friends and family
For this is my American Dream
I will not be run by society’s race


Photo credit: Helen Lacey