Stumped.

It was an innocent enough day. There I was, twirling just feet from the edge of the bluff, when all of a sudden, a crackling was heard.

Panicked, I immediately retracted my steps from the edge, thinking my zealous spinning had in fact disrupted the bluff. I thought to myself I'm going down!

Turns out, a tree to my left, one that so treacherously hung out over the edge of the bluff, had finally fallen prey to gravity, and cracked, roots and all falling below to the ocean's edge.

I don't often have the opportunity of being present when a tree falls, and I have to say, it left me quite stumped.

Get it?

The timing, the setting, the witness to such a majestic tree succumbing to the natural erosion of the bluff... I couldn't be-leaf that I was lucky enough to see it go down!

Nature never ceases to awe me and humble me with its pure majesty. Not only have we seen many seasonal changes these past few weeks, but we've also been present for more than a few earthquakes that shook the house and reminded us of our place here on earth.

It's all very unpredictable and keeps us on our toes. Kind of like life: you think it's going steady and strong one moment, and then the next, a tree falls and it leaves you feeling stumped!

So even though the trees are falling and the earth is shaking, I'll keep on twirling on the bluff's edge... 

Don't Hiss Me Off.

Lately, I've been receiving a lot of pressure about finding a job.

Whether that's external, or internal (probably mostly internal), I can't help but feel rebellious towards this expected step in life.

It's all part of the "plan". You graduate high school, you go to college, and then you find a job and voila. It's the traditional move up the ladder.

Well if you've learned anything by now, I'm not the traditional sort of gal.

Yes, I graduated high school and I went to college, but I sure as hell am not about to jump into a job for the sake of "having a job." And while I was not looking forward to this return home a few months ago, I now feel incredibly... rested.

My dad likes to call it "living the life of leisure", which of course there's some truth to (naps, naps, and more naps), but I prefer to look at this transition as an opportunity to take the time I need to figure out what I want to do next, without pressure.

Now I know I'm lucky to be able to live at home (for the time being) with supportive parents in regards to this break. And I know that not everyone can have the leisure of taking some time to figure things out.

What I'm getting at is that there shouldn't be this compulsion to do what the rest of society deems as the conventional way of life. Circumstances are different for everyone, I'm sure, but I'm a big believer in pursuing what makes your heart sing and if you have the opportunity to take a job immediately, or if you're like me and have the shot at taking that break for the sake of recouping, then do you!

Your life is your own.

And while I know it's not personal when people make snide comments about "moving out, finding that job that pays the rent, and being an adult", I nonetheless feel a little... hissed off at the expectation of living this way.

I'm young, and I love to be young. I'm free, and I love to be free. To live the life the way I want, to say and do whatever I please.

Lesley Gore sings it best.

I'm twenty-one years old and I have my whole book ahead of me. Taking a few months to decide what my next chapter will be won't do anything but make me more assured and confident going forward.

So the next time someone chides you for "living at home", or looks at you with that condescending look when you've returned to work at the local coffee shop, smile sweetly and don't let it hiss you off.