Life

years that question, years that answer

January 28, 2015

Zora Neale Hurston quote // My SoCal'd Life, a lifetstyle blogI’m not usually one for quotes, but after seeing the above one-liner in a card from one of my best friends on Monday and then randomly again on Instagram yesterday, I felt like someone was trying to knock me over the head with its meaning. And man, is the time ripe for it.

I’ve never really had questioning years before. I almost always knew what I wanted. I wanted to go to journalism school; I wanted to study abroad in Australia; I wanted to move to New York; I wanted to work in the TV department at Entertainment Weekly. Hell, for three years I knew I wanted to do an around-the-world trip. Almost every year was an answer realized, which is certainly something to be thankful for.

But now this eternal planner is having a very unplanned last couple of years. The world of freelancing and self-employment is a tenuous thing. Where is your next paycheck coming from? Are you hustling enough? Did you network enough? Life can feel like a perpetual question mark, and I admit, it sometimes gets the best of me. It throws me into a deeper tailspin of questions: Am I doing the right thing? Can I survive with such instability? Will I see the light at the end of the tunnel? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

One friend recommended that I journal my thoughts to make them seem less scattered. Another reminded me that really, all of us are struggling with something. My friend who sent the card didn’t even know about my recent feelings of uncertainty, but she inadvertently woke me up to the realization that I don’t always have to have everything figured out. It’s a daunting thought for someone who likes things so figured-out, but I’m learning to roll with the punches. Succeeding sometimes, failing miserably other times.

Career, relationships, parenthood, what have you—I think this quote is a powerful one that extends wherever you need it. It’s helped me breathe a little more easily this week. Hopefully you find some solace in it, too.

Image via

2 thoughts on “years that question, years that answer

  1. Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health

    this is sooooo weird. i have been telling myself this same exact quote from the very beginning of this year.. i hope this is a year of answer for me too.

    Reply
  2. Ekta

    This left me feeling much more at peace with myself than what I have been…such a simple line, yet so impactful…totally apt for this blurry 2015 start…thank you for sharing.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Ekta Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

* Copy This Password *

* Type Or Paste Password Here *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>