What if the Hokey Pokey really is what it's all about?

"You put your left arm in, you take your left are out, you put your left are in and you shake it all about. You do the Holey Pokey and you turn yourself around, that's what it's all about....."

The more I think about this little song/game I realize just how bossy it is. Every move is dictated. And then the statement at the end, "that's what it's all about," gives you no choice but to go along with the dictation because that's what it's all about there is no, "Choose another option," part of the song.

Metaphor taken too far? Yes. But as I was thinking about this song today, I realized that sometimes that is how I feel life is.

I've been having some trouble lately with me not doing what I feel like the rest of the world is doing. Holding a job, paying bills bearing children, complaining about taxes, buying boxed dinners....I am involved in none of those things. And sometimes, I feel guilty. Like I'm not living up to my abilities, that I've failed as a 26 year old because technically I have not started a career, in fact, I have no idea what I want my career to be. I feel like I've failed my family becasue sometimes I think they were expecting me to do great things and maybe now they are disappointed that I've not dove straight into working full time.....

But the more I sit back and watch people at their jobs and as they talk about how they hate getting up every morning and they can't wait for their next break or they live weekend to weekend, I realize that this time to really think about what comes next is so valuable. I don't want to hate my job. I don't want to dread Mondays. Think about it, we spend approximately 56 hours/week sleeping, and if one is lucky, 40 hrs/week working, most people put in more time than this. That leaves 72 hrs/week open, I don't want life to revolve around those 72 hours, I want all my hours to count.

Anyway, all this to say, I'm done feeling guilty. I'm done. I want to feel good about life again, I want to continue on in life optimistic about this day and not worry about the pressures, the norms, the judgements. I am choosing to really seek out what I want to do with my life. I realize that sounds selfish, but isn't this an area one should be selfish in? Shouldn't we all work in an area that we love and are passionate about?

So I say, "NO!" No to you, Hokey Pokey. I will not put my left hand in, and I will not take my left hand out. Instead, I will dance around in the middle of the circle to my own beat yelling, "Piss off, Hokey Pokey!" Because your rules are not what it is all about!