23

I guess you just really get to that point in your life when you stop, and come to realize you're not as powerful as you think, not as prepared or brave or confident, not as smart or wise as everybody around you says you are. You realize that you're not as equipped to handle all of life's pressures as you believe you are. Five or six years down the road you'll have all these plans, but find out they're not as achievable as you thought they were. You'll find out you're not as ready to take them on as you convinced yourself you were five or six years before that. It scares the hell out of me.

Twenty-three years today. I'm exactly two years short of being a quarter century old. At this age I thought I would've already known enough. But the fact of the matter is I don't. There are a lot of things I still don't know, most of which I probably won't at all. And that scares me even more. I do not know what's in store for me in the years to come. All I know is I'm sure as hell going to try and make something great of my life, one day at a time. I owe my family and those who believe in me that much.

My Grandfather texted me this today (yes, my Lolo is that cool):

It's very important to define success for yourself. If you really want to reach for the brass ring, just remember that there are sacrifices that go along. We write our own destiny. We become what we do.

The timing is perfect, and coming from a man who's lived for more than 80 years, the message becomes all the more special.

A couple of things have happened recently that sort of rattled my perception of life. It's all good though, it made things a lot more clearer for me. Quarter-life crisis? You can call it that. You can call it whatever you want. The point is it's just a phase, and I will overcome. I guess I just needed to get it off my chest. The fear of what lies ahead will always be there. It's not something you get rid of completely. But at least I have you guys (you all know who you are) to give me those words of encouragement and that much needed pat in the back.