What My Life Story Should Be

Mary at Capjaseux, Quebec, Angela Shea

Why do we tell ourselves school is the most important thing in our lives? My marks need to be good, so I can graduate, so I can have a degree so I can get a job so I can buy a car and a house and buy things to fill it. Then I will have entered the real world and be taken seriously. Who cares if right now I miss all the beauty around me and I don’t make time to take care of myself? Who cares if I neglect my real passions in life because I need to go to class and do my readings? Is what I’m studying even important to me? Do I even care about it?

Why do we tell ourselves we need to be attractive? I need to go to the gym and work out so my body is toned and my clothes looks good so people will want to date me. Or at least, make out with me at the bar. Why do we want to look the same as everyone else? Can’t I see that hollister shirts, ugg boots and tna pants just make me another copy? Well, it’s easy for me to go to the mall and just get what everyone else has. I mean, if so many people have this stuff, it must be good stuff, right? Anyway, I like it, I think it’s pretty. I like walking down the hall and seeing other people with same things as me, now I know I’m on the right track. It’s comforting.

How is it we think the world out there is not important? Bombs over there, and poverty over there doesn’t matter to me. I have nothing to do with that shit. Don’t tell me about the world’s injustices, I just want to read the sports section okay? I don’t want to burden my life with the problems of people way over there. Besides, I know nothing about that shit. Where the hell would I start? I wouldn’t be able to contribute anyway.

Why do we let ourselves be sheep? Why do we follow the shepherds when we don’t even know who the hell they are? Why do we herd ourselves down these hallways into lectures, into the bookstore, into exams, write the same answers as everyone and think the same as everyone? Is that what my education is getting me? Cause I don’t know about you but I want to run free.