25vs13

"You should go out there and make them aware of your
presence!"

This may sound like a quote taken from an inspirational book but these words actually came from a 13-year-old girl giving me advice on dating. I found it very amusing how bluntly she could have thought of saying that to me as if I was walking around with the word "single" written on my forehead.

Although, her advice was rather interesting, I think that being already in my mid-20's, I have grown enough to become aware of the fact that there is more to life than just "going out there and finding love." I must admit, however, that when I was her age, I used to think that by the time I turned 25, I would have already bought a house, married the man of my dreams and maybe have a business of my own. Obviously, I was very naive back then because now that I am 25, not only have I failed to achieve any of those, I also have found myself living more than a thousand miles away from home, stuck in a job that is about to suck whatever's left of my sanity.

It is not easy being a 25-year-old lady these days; you would often catch yourself in a constant struggle to find different ways of making your dreams come true amidst incessant scrutiny from everyone around you. I agree that love and dreams make up the very core of our existence but unlike the 13-year-old girl who still has the privilege of choosing one more than the other, I am left with no other choice at this age, but to create a balance between the two.

Even if the harsh realities of life, love and dreams leave me heart-broken every now and then, I still wish to see the world in a light similar to that of the 13-year-old, who's seemingly unafraid of what the future holds and is bravely wanting "to go out there" to experience the fullness of life.