Weeding Our Gardens

When we are born we are given a foundation from our parents, a solid ground for us to continue to grow from. As we get older it is our responsibility to decide where we want to take this stepping-stone, but I question how much say we have in how we lead our futures. We are presented with many options and influences in our lives that try to dictate what path we choose to follow. It seems as though my future had been planned out for me at birth; starting with my college trust fund, moving on to grade school where every Friday was “college spirit day”, ending with high school where teachers and advisors guided you to choose your career path at the age of eighteen. Keeping in mind I am grateful for the care and support that was behind all of these driving factors leading me to where I am today, I can’t help but look back and wonder if I let other people influence my life to how they thought it should be and not how I want to live it.  Up until recently I felt as though we didn’t have much free will as young adults, however, I have come to learn that it is entirely on us to decide just how much power we let others have. It is as if we each are the tenders of our own gardens of life. There are always going to be new weeds appearing  and taking up space among what we choose to grow but how much room we let those weeds take up and how long we allow them to stay is entirely on us. It is often easy to give up and let uninvited company in our gardens but ultimately we have the power to remove them as many times as necessary to accomplish exactly what we desire, we are in control of our garden of life.