On getting older and "wiser?"

You know, as you get older your priorities change.  When you're younger you tend to not think too much of the future.  Sure when you're a child you think about becoming a fireman, a nurse, astronaut, princess (you noticed I've mixed boys and girls there, I'm not implying that boys want to be princesses), cowboy or whatever.  Normally we don't turn out to be what we wanted to be as a child.  Oh there are occassions where the child who dreamt of becoming a fireman or policeman or astronaut, actually grew up to be just that.  It happens.  Those children seem to know at an early age what they are supposed to do when they get older.  I believe for the vast majority of us, our views and ideas change and so do our desires and what we feel we want to do with our lives.

I personally don't remember what I wanted to be when I grew up.  I'm pretty sure it wasn't to be a computer programmer or even anything to do with computers.  After all when I was a child, computers pretty much had to have a room all to themselves including its own cooling and power conditioner. 

A few years ago, if asked about what I'd do with a lot of money, I'd have said I would buy cars, houses and live in a place I want to live in, like Hawaii or something like that.  Now I think I'd pay off my bills first, anonymously give money to various charities, set up a trust fund for my grandkids, help my kids and buy cars and houses and live in a place I want to live in, like Hawaii or something like that.  Though truthfully the cars and houses and living in Hawaii are not as important as the other things.  Also I'm thinking I'd buy an island and be my own government, but then I'd wind up bribing myself and becoming a corrupt government official and have to impeach myself.  :-)  In case you wondered, that last part was a bit of a joke.  I would never EVER impeach myself and throw myself out of office.

As I said, as you get older, your priorities change.  Sometimes, even though your priorities have changed, you are in a situation where you can do nothing about it.  You have to stay as you are because there is no wiggle room to change.  Your heart may change, your ideals may change, but if you're in a situation where you're just boxed in and cannot move in the direction you wish to move in, then it's just tough to take.  Lots of people are in that situation.  Cannot make the changes they need to get out of the situation they're in.  They do what little they can and maybe, just maybe it will create enough wiggle room to bust out of their situation and blossom into the person they really are and wish to be.

Thanks for reading.