In the winter of 1983, I was something of a drifter. No, not a bum who willingly had no house or home, nor a ne’er do well choosing not to take root.

Rather, I was a wanderer within the confines of my life. I was attending university, in the throes of my first relationship, the principal signatory to my lease, and a part-time job. All of these attachments, I agreed to deliberately. I signed on the dotted line fully aware of what I was doing. But, at the end of the day, even though I was “fully engaged”, I was profoundly unhappy, merely going through the motions. I desperately wanted change…deep change…though not because I wanted freedom. On the contrary…I yearned to set my sights on unconventional goals, greater challenges. I wanted to mix it all up and rededicate myself to a radically different way of living…to revamp the bedrock of my life. I didn’t want liberty, I wanted a whole different set of commitments.
Fundamentally, in December we can approach life and our goals directly. Now, it’s easier to see how our beginnings have led us to a middle that’s off track, scooting us down some dim, gravely side path, far short of our original expectations.




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