The splash
of cold liquid accompanied by melodic clinking of glass catapulted me out of my
reverie. To my left, a lady was wiping up her spilled drink while apologizing
repeatedly and to my right, a friend rescued my phone. We had just completed our
second block exam hours earlier. Though there remains room for improvement, I was
much more satisfied with my performance this go around. A couple of friends
wanted to grab a quick bite and decompress whereas I just needed to be out of
the four walls that had become much too confining. After a week of downpour
combined with endless studying, walking somewhere—anywhere—was a real luxury.
Seeing that she was alone, I started
a light conversation with the sole intention of being neighborly. Surprisingly,
we quickly veered from the banalities of conventional greetings towards more
substantial topics, specifically self-actualization. It is the pinnacle of
psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, simply stated as the
fulfillment of one’s potential. I immediately marveled at the timeliness of
this discussion.
As this year advances, many forces
will play a role in molding me, positively or negatively is at my discretion. Would
I stay true to my beliefs and values, or bend like a dandelion under the
weakest of winds? I am relying on my own experiences and judgment, not societal
dictates, when making decisions. A prerequisite to accomplishing this is possession
of accurate self-perception and self-acceptance. At the same time, however, I want
to be malleable enough to expand my comfort zone, to experience the uniqueness
and eccentricities of NOLA with continual appreciation. The combination of history,
spontaneous performances and extraordinary cuisine are a few aspects that I hope
I never become desensitized to. I want to experience the peak experiences that
Maslow spoke of. This year, I want each adventure, each exploration, each
unexpected event to be filled with childlike wonder.
As I mature academically, mentally
and experientially, I want to discover where I derive pleasure from. How can I apply
my talents such that they benefit those in my vicinity while fulfilling me simultaneously?
This lady, who remains nameless in my mind as we never formally introduced
ourselves, inadvertently challenged me to be more conscientious of each step of
my journey and to live in the moment rather than being overly goal-oriented.
Most significantly, she reminded me of the imminent changes and the importance
of selective malleability. The counter was dried, my phone escaped unscathed, and I? I was left with a renewed desire for personal growth.
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