You mean it doesn't have to be right now?

So here I was watching the full 40 minutes Katie Couric interview with Taylor Swift (obviously since the release of her new album her media tour has been my most searched topic) and it hit me. It was nothing that Taylor Swift said, though she did say some great things. It wasn't some epic moment where Katie asked the right question and my entire journalism career made sense. It was actually the very first thing out of Katie's mouth:

"When I was 22 I was working as a waitress..."

WHAT?? You mean to tell me you were not a well known journalist with her own show and great credentials at the age of 22? You mean to tell me Kate, may I call you Kate? That you were not flying around the world asking questions to the most well known stars and influential people? You mean your life wasn't completely figured out with every last "I" in the details singed and dotted?

And then I thought, of course it wasn't! So why do I think mine needs to be? 

See, ever sense I graduated in August I have been so focused on why my life hasn't worked itself out yet, but honestly why would it have? I'm 21 for heavens sake! I'm young and not prepared for the real world. I'm still on my parents insurance. I don't know how to wash clothes, can my red socks go with my white rug? And why do I have red socks? And I live by the motto that you NEED every article of clothing, you just have to decide which ones you want. So why if the hot mess express has broken down at platform Shelby and half a maturity level do I think my career should be that of a fabulous 45 year old?

Though this problem of trying to grow up too fast is something I think many struggle with. We spend our entire childhood trying to be bigger. We want to reach the cookie jar without any help, we want to watch the PG-13 movies at the age of 10. It is human nature to try and advance yourself before you are ready. But why?

Why are we so provoked to read the end of a book before we start the beginning? Then race through the pages like we are at the olympic track? We already know the end!

I have been very sure of a few things in my life. I know I want to be a journalist, a great one. And I know I don't ever, EVER, want to get married. But in thinking these things so surely I have begun to learn other things. 

Like, wanting to be a journalist is great, but it wont happen over night. I knew there would be years of paying dues and that they would amount to triple my student loans (if I'm lucky that will be it). But all along I have assumed it would have happened by now. Silly me. Silly all of us. I am not the only one who wants so badly to be at their ending destination. Rushing there is only going to cause us to miss the parts that truly matter though. The in between. I hate more than anyone when people say "Just enjoy the right now," please people, I want to enjoy the good times not the debt bearing sloppy days. But perhaps the good times are what we make of it.

The perfect example I can think of is a kid wanting a toy. I brought my nephew to a toy store a few weekends ago to pick out his birthday present. Here is a little insight to my nephew, he doesn't really want to have anything to do with me. He is four after all, and I am the aunt he never sees. Except this week. All week he was telling my sister and mom "I got to the toy store!" And when asked who is your best friend "Mommy, Daddy, Poncho, Aunt B." Thats right people! I'm after his smelly pug as 4th best friend! Can't beat that. 

And nothing could beat the look on his face when he was in the store. There were gum balls and cars. Rocks and guns ( which he already had two of). It was the best hour of his day... and then we left. He would hardly show my dad the toys when we got home, and I was no longer his best friend. Brayden is four, but he might be smarter than any of us. He knew that going to the toy store was not to get the toy. Lets be honest, no one wants the toy. Once you get it there is nothing left to look forward to. But when you are wanting it, when you are spending your days talking about it, planning for it, preparing yourself, gosh that toy is the ONLY thing worth living for. 

So why do we rush? Why do we not take the time to stop and smell the roses? 

I've told everyone and their mothers I didn't ever want to get married. I never wanted to be serious with someone. But what if one day I do? What if maybe I think it could be right? Well, then I get crazy. Then I KNOW it is right. I KNOW where it is heading. Right to that isle of wonderful white dresses and happily ever after. Okay, kidding. But honestly from a girls point of view this is what we do. We either know no man will love us or we are ready for those vows. Some share it less than others, or some chose to share only one side as I did for so long saying I would just take the avocado tree on my one bedroom apartment table. We have to have whatever we want right then and there.

But that is the problem. We are hot or we are cold we are never just enjoying. What if for once we just let life takes its toll? What if we waited for that toy? How much happier would we be knowing there is no end goal in sight because the end goal is to live life.