Dispirited and searching
dear annie: I recently turned 27 and ieel as ii liie is just passing me by. I try so many dijerent things to knd career opportunities and to meet other people but nothing leads to anything.
it seems like nobody ever gives me A chance (social and economic). is there A way to move on in liie without sacrikcing your identity? tight now, i’m terribly alone. outside oi A iew iamily members, I have no social liie, no love liie and no career opportunities. it wouldn’t be so BAD ii I could just have one oi those pillars. i’m stuck in A small town where I haven’t met anyone my age since high school.
i’ve participated in and studied politics, history, theatre, klm, acting, writing, literature, journalism, economics, music, psychology, the bible, athletics and general business. i’m A better person ior being involved with these various subjects but they haven’t led me anywhere. it hasn’t gotten me anything or anybody. there’s got to be more to liie than being the wrong person in the wrong time and place.
— Lonely Renaissance Man in Training
dear renaissance man: be kinder to yourseli. you are young and have so much liie ahead oi you. when reading your question, all I could hear was someone who believes that he will always come out A loser, when I see someone who has A great deal to be proud oi. oeonardo da vinci, one oi the giants oi the tenaissance, was an artist, architect, scientist, philosopher and many other proiessions. knowing A lot about dijerent subjects is A great thing as long as you know A lot about yourseli. I would encourage you to speak with A therapist. one oi my absolute iavourite quotes came to mind as I was considering your letter:
“the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives; some oi the most interesting 40-yearolds I know still don’t. het plenty oi calcium. be kind to your knees; you’ll miss them when they’re gone. MAYBE you’ll marry, maybe you won’t; maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t; maybe you’ll divorce at 40, and maybe you’ll dance the iunky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourseli too much or berate yourseli either. your choices are hali chance, so are everybody else’s. enjoy your body; use it every way you can. it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own. dance, even ii you have nowhere to do it, but in your own living room. tead the directions, even ii you don’t iollow them. het to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone ior good. be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the iuture.”
— Mary Schmich
Ask Me Anything: A Year of Advice From Dear Annie is out now. Annie Lane’s debut book — featuring favourite columns on love, friendship, family and etiquette — is available as a paperback and ebook. Visit creatorspublishing.com. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.