"We are born into a system. The world is already formed beforehand. It seems that your life is just beginning, but you are never given a blank page. You are given a script." - Unknown

''Create the world you dream with every choice you make.'' -Stephen C. Paul 

When we are born, we are given a script called ''This is what your life should be like"

And we don't really have much of a choice in the matter.
And we start playing:
The first chapter, childhood.
Pre-school, playing with toys, learning to ride a bike, running around screaming in happiness, eating ice cream and candy until your stomach hurts.
Then, teenage years.
School, being moody, doing crazy things, not listening to your parents, experimenting, being messy, loving, crying, piercing your tongue.
Young adult
University, relationships, sex, car, parties, alcohol.
Adult
Marriage, children, big house, job, money.
Senior
Retirement


My question is, ''is that all?''
Really, is that all life has to offer? Don't we have any choice?

Of course we do. But when we people try to get away from the script, they are judged. Severely. They are labeled. ''weird'', ''rebellious'', ''anti-____''.
but all they try to do is do something different.
Different isn't wrong. That's a stereotype I really think that people should be aware of and try to let go. Its not wrong, weird or anti-anything. It's just different. We are all unique beings. We have the right to choose our path in life. Who says we all have to choose the same one?
Does everybody really need to get 16+ years of education? Does everyone have to hate their parents when they are teenagers? Does everyone have to drink until passing out every weekend as college students?

Rhetorical questions, really. But why do we still give in to the stereotype? Even the most modern and open of us give in to it. ''Different is wrong. Discourage them. Make them come back to the mass of sameness''
Its sad, really.

An example: I have plenty of experience in living in historically Muslim countries. And what surprises me is that ''modern'' Muslim people drink alcohol, even though officially it's forbidden. But moreover, they judge Muslims who don't drink alcohol because of religious beliefs. They ask ''what's wrong with you?'', label them as conservative, or old fashioned. But who said that getting drunk is something everyone has to do?

Personally I prefer these things to be not forced by religion or cultural beliefs, but by your personal decisions. For example, I'm a vegetarian. Not because my parents, my church, God, animal protection organizations, dieting specialists, doctors, etc, told me so. Because I decided. That's it.
People ask me the reason, and they expect me to say one of these things. It's so much easier to use those things, to use an excuse, than to stand by your beliefs. Because without the support of the church, God, family behind you, you're alone. And you get judged for being different. Because it was your initiative to change something about your life. No one told you to. That's the hard way.

The example that inspired me to write this article is the story of Elizabeth Scharpf, that was published in the NY Times. She had everything going for her in her script. A top university and good-paying career ahead of her. But she decided to move to Nepal and teach underprivileged children.
( read about her story at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/magazine/24volunteerism-t.html )

Crazy? Weird? or Heroic? 
What's the difference? It's in your attitude.

YOUR ATTITUDE DETERMINES YOUR REALITY.

What my point is, don't judge people. And choose for yourself. Don't accept things blindly. And be open for people's decisions. So what if it's a little far from what you're use to?

Related Posts : attitude, change, decisions, God, life, self-confidence