Growing Up is Hard to Do

When I grow up, I want to be a writer. To be able to spill words across a blank page, and to have people who would kill to read it? My oh my. That would be the life. I could sell my thoughts a dime a dozen. Reach one thousand twitter followers. Be able to share my effervescent emotions with that world.
The world! Oh, I could be a travel blogger. Travel around, and get paid to take expensive trips and stay at resorts. I would write everything in detail, of course, but the best part would be the culture and relaxation. That would be the best. Ideal, really.
You know what's ideal, though, really?
Doctors make a ton of money. If I was a doctor - no, a midwife - I'd never have to worry about anything ever again. I could help deliver infants out of their mothers' wombs. I would specialize in teen and young adult mothers, helping them with the things they'd have no idea to do.
Or maybe a medical examiner. Like on Body of Proof, you know? Cut me up some dead people and figure out what made them die. Get to know people through their stories. The perfect mix of investigation and medicine. That would be awesome.
On a cheerier note, maybe I would be best as a wedding planner. I do love weddings. The dresses, the cake, the designs. Nothing is better than a wedding. It's a joy bringer, no matter how long the marriage lasts. I'll always be there for the happiest night of one's life.
You'd think that with my hatred of science class, I'd never consider becoming a scientist. But to be a scientist for Lush Cosmetics? I'd be making bath bombs all day! That would be so cool! I'd get money off all those delicious products. And I'd get to create something that makes so many people happy.
Or I could be a lawyer.
Or an Apple design person.
I could work for twitter.
I could open my own restaurant.

Clearly, I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up. There's few jobs in this world that DON'T sound interesting to me. It's strange to think of how open my options are.

I wonder how many options most people have. I wonder, when it boils right down to it, where these kids I go to school with will end up.
A couple will be stars. It's impossible for them not to be.
Some will be professionals at something they don't want to do.
Others won't work. They've never had to work a day in their life, why should they start now?

The people of Flint are the same way. It's not that they're spoiled. For many, they don't know how to work. They've never applied themselves. They may be brilliant!
But they can't say that. They're not trying.
That's when it comes to guns. People give up trying, before they've hardly even started.
When, in reality, it's not time to give up yet.
It's time to work. It's time to achieve dreams, and do what you can to get there.
Guns, violence, drugs? Those aren't any sort of answers.
The answer to growing up is to keep trying. To push through the adversity life tosses at you, and go out there.
Make.
It.
Happen.