Caramel Contemplation

When we're young we have these delusions of grandeur that become the driving force behind most actions in life. For most of us, we wanted the huge house, the expensive car and glamorous life. We were passed on the knowledge that education is the way to go and with the right amount of determination and drive, anything is possible. And then suddenly life happens- we struggle at school, can't get a scholarship for varsity, get a degree and can't find a job and then settle for whatever will pay the bills at the end of the day. We are taught the basics of what it supposedly takes to function in the real world but what about real life lessons? What about learning how to handle rejection, how to work in undesirable conditions, how to focus when you're surrounded by noise, how to handle being treated like a lap-dog? These are just some of the things that I wish I was told I would be exposed to when I enter the working world. Being a junior in an office full of people is never an easy task and it has been an uphill battle to hold my tongue sometimes. I have become so used to having an opinion and expressing it without fear of rejection or persecution. These days I have had to learn to keep quiet, keep my head down and do my job and man, has it been a learning curve for me! "Do what you're told and you'll get far" is a saying I have heard all too often in my lifetime. But what of pioneers who forge their own paths and shape their own destinies? What of people who go against the expectations of society? What of visionaries and dreamers? These are the people I strive to emulate, the people who give me hope in a society filled with conformists. But alas, here I sit, being quiet and getting on with the business of the day. To the dreamers out there, never give up your visions, always strive for what you believe in. But bear in mind that you will have to face other people and be forced to push your personal preferences aside for a second. And in that second keep calm, keep your head down and carry on.