Green Light Means Go
For me personally, my green light is a lifestyle not bound by what society values, but instead my spontaneous choices which lead to various homes across the world, possibly due to my job.
Traveling, and the freedom to do so, is probably a pretty common dream for most people. Traveling presents an opportunity to experience history, new cultures, various lifestyles, and exciting people, especially when leaving the country. From the Great Wall of China to the Parthenon in Greece. Or from the Amazon Rainforest in South America to the Sahara Desert in Africa. I want to be able to visit them all, but right now, it is not practical to visit all of these places, so for now, my scope is narrowed to the United States. When choosing a college in a few years, one of the most important factors for me is the location. All of my top college choices, except one, are outside of California, which will hopefully create an even larger desire for travel. If possible, I would like to study abroad and travel internationally. After college, regardless of my major, I plan on volunteering for the Peace Corps or some other organization that will allow me to travel to an underdeveloped country for an extended period of time. From what I know about the Peace Corps, it seems like a great opportunity not only to travel, but also to do something that will significantly impact people's lives across the world. Another opportunity that will provide me with a similar experience is through mission trips associated with church. This way, not only do I get to help the people physically, I can help them spiritually as well. Either way, getting to be a part of something greater is an important goal in my life.
One of my biggest fears is that I will end up in an office job; a job that is stable, but boring. Every day, being forced back into the same repetitive routine. And for what? To pay bills? I might be able to tolerate it at first, but as the months drag by and the years pass, it would become impossible for me to deal with it. If that scenario ends up happening, then I will drop everything and go on an adventure across the world with whatever money I have. People who do this by choice often have no regrets. They wander with no real purpose in mind, just meandering around and living life to the fullest, as it should be. As J.R.R. Tolkien wrote, "Not all those who wander are lost." That quote briefly sums up the desire to travel aimlessly. Though living life like that would be ideal, it is uncommon and not the most practical. And although I cannot predict the future, I can influence it and choose to live a certain lifestyle in order to avoid becoming a company man.
Like I mentioned previously, if I end up at a stable job, I will probably quit, but if I were in a more exciting one, then it may be different. One possible job for me would be a pilot, as being in the cockpit of a plane is also a small dream of mine. Inspiration for this may have come from the movie Catch Me if You Can which tells the story of Frank Abagnale, Jr. This con man forged his way to a life of pleasure and did whatever he wanted to do, from a pilot to a doctor to a lawyer, among many other jobs. During his time as a pilot, he managed to fly all across the world and stay at hotels for free, which seems awesome. His life seems appealing to me as it is exciting and full of action. The similarities in ideals that we share made me more intrigued and resulted in me choosing Abagnale as my prominent American for the multigenre project. After reading his autobiography, I learned that the life is not exactly as glamorous as it seems. It was a difficult time, especially when coping with loneliness and paranoia due to the constant dependence on crime in order to live out his version of the American Dream. Although I would like to achieve this level of entertainment through honest means, the basic idea remains the same: to live a life that matches our personal dream.
A problem with my dream is the factor of money, as in the current world, money makes the world go around. Unfortunately (to some), money is a necessity, and may indeed be a factor of happiness. As long as I have a certain stream of income that lets me live the carefree lifestyle, that will make me happy. The green light symbolizes my desire for happiness, which stems from money and independence to travel and make my own decisions. And as with the traffic signal, green light means go.
Traveling, and the freedom to do so, is probably a pretty common dream for most people. Traveling presents an opportunity to experience history, new cultures, various lifestyles, and exciting people, especially when leaving the country. From the Great Wall of China to the Parthenon in Greece. Or from the Amazon Rainforest in South America to the Sahara Desert in Africa. I want to be able to visit them all, but right now, it is not practical to visit all of these places, so for now, my scope is narrowed to the United States. When choosing a college in a few years, one of the most important factors for me is the location. All of my top college choices, except one, are outside of California, which will hopefully create an even larger desire for travel. If possible, I would like to study abroad and travel internationally. After college, regardless of my major, I plan on volunteering for the Peace Corps or some other organization that will allow me to travel to an underdeveloped country for an extended period of time. From what I know about the Peace Corps, it seems like a great opportunity not only to travel, but also to do something that will significantly impact people's lives across the world. Another opportunity that will provide me with a similar experience is through mission trips associated with church. This way, not only do I get to help the people physically, I can help them spiritually as well. Either way, getting to be a part of something greater is an important goal in my life.
One of my biggest fears is that I will end up in an office job; a job that is stable, but boring. Every day, being forced back into the same repetitive routine. And for what? To pay bills? I might be able to tolerate it at first, but as the months drag by and the years pass, it would become impossible for me to deal with it. If that scenario ends up happening, then I will drop everything and go on an adventure across the world with whatever money I have. People who do this by choice often have no regrets. They wander with no real purpose in mind, just meandering around and living life to the fullest, as it should be. As J.R.R. Tolkien wrote, "Not all those who wander are lost." That quote briefly sums up the desire to travel aimlessly. Though living life like that would be ideal, it is uncommon and not the most practical. And although I cannot predict the future, I can influence it and choose to live a certain lifestyle in order to avoid becoming a company man.
Like I mentioned previously, if I end up at a stable job, I will probably quit, but if I were in a more exciting one, then it may be different. One possible job for me would be a pilot, as being in the cockpit of a plane is also a small dream of mine. Inspiration for this may have come from the movie Catch Me if You Can which tells the story of Frank Abagnale, Jr. This con man forged his way to a life of pleasure and did whatever he wanted to do, from a pilot to a doctor to a lawyer, among many other jobs. During his time as a pilot, he managed to fly all across the world and stay at hotels for free, which seems awesome. His life seems appealing to me as it is exciting and full of action. The similarities in ideals that we share made me more intrigued and resulted in me choosing Abagnale as my prominent American for the multigenre project. After reading his autobiography, I learned that the life is not exactly as glamorous as it seems. It was a difficult time, especially when coping with loneliness and paranoia due to the constant dependence on crime in order to live out his version of the American Dream. Although I would like to achieve this level of entertainment through honest means, the basic idea remains the same: to live a life that matches our personal dream.
A problem with my dream is the factor of money, as in the current world, money makes the world go around. Unfortunately (to some), money is a necessity, and may indeed be a factor of happiness. As long as I have a certain stream of income that lets me live the carefree lifestyle, that will make me happy. The green light symbolizes my desire for happiness, which stems from money and independence to travel and make my own decisions. And as with the traffic signal, green light means go.