June 03, 2009

On Ambition

I went to dinner with some pretty ambitious folks last night and it was nice to hear of all the places in which they'd studied, traveled to, and experienced.

And though my job is not nearly as glamorous as my last one, I am relishing my newfound evenings and weekends, and reveling in going to happy hours with friends, and signing up to dance classes.

Yet, I feel vaguely dissatisfied that I'm not jet-setting to exotic places, getting a second Masters or a Ph.D. or doing a job where I save children and puppies. I felt slightly ashamed that I didn't display more ambition.

But sometimes I think: isn't it just as ambitious to build solid friendships, fall in love with a vibrant city, take some time to reflect, and balance it all with a job that still pays the bill?

4 comments:

jau said...

Your choices are just as valid - and we have to put one foot in front of the other as best we can, each in our own way. You will have more adventure, I feel sure.

Anonymous said...

I sure hope so :)
Ambition, schmambition: we'll all die one day anyway, might as well have as much fun as possible in the meantime :)
-Ammo

Carl said...

You take care of yourself. You don't lie, cheat or steal and you stick by your family and friends. That seems good enough to me.

Besides, how many of those hotshots have faced down Kalashnikov slinging Congolese cops and soldiers? I still can see you slamming the car door in the cops face. That was cool.

007 in Africa said...

Jau, thanks, I do really hope I'm not out of adventures.

Ammo, you always have a very refreshing perspective on life!

Lol Carl, that was pretty cool wasn't it?