Detour

“Isn’t it funny how day to day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different?”

I first saw this quote featured on a former classmate’s MySpace profile. Since the moment I read it a few months ago, I have been mesmerized by the profound reality it presents. In my opinion, this mere 17-word grouping perfectly describes the frailty of human planning and anticipation.

Let’s imagine that someone asks, “What do you see yourself doing five years from now?” I am certain that, more often than not, the answer, even though honest and sincere at the time, would not be exactly what that person is doing in the future.

Before this becomes misleading, let me say that this inaccuracy is not preventable.

The reason for the false prediction is not because the person was unsure of what they wanted. It was because as events unfold, it becomes apparent that life never goes as planned. But whether the unexpected events bring tragedy or triumph, it is most important to be accepting of these life detours.

Truthfully, I had this big picture in my head with all the little details about how my life would be after I transferred from Contra Costa College to a California State University. In fact, I’ve constantly claimed that I “knew” I would go to a school in Southern California. But as expected, things are starting to look terribly hazy at the moment. Though it wasn’t my first choice school, I can admit that I felt a little disappointed when I found out yesterday that I was rejected from San Diego State.

I thought, “How could that be? My grades are nearly flawless!”

When it comes down to it, it does not matter which school I end up attending. What matters is what I decide to do with my time while I am there. Which leads me to admit that I really have no idea what I’ll be doing five years from now, let alone one year.

But in fact, I know this detour is probably for the best and it could be even better than what I had previously planned for myself.