Either Oar

As her junior year came to an end, my youngest daughter was debating leaving school early.  As she weighed the pros and cons, she often asked for advice.  As someone who actually did leave high school two years early in order to start university ahead of my peers, I can only give her the advice that my parents gave me when I was faced with this same decision. 1.  Every path you take will involve sacrifice.  This may be the wisest thing my folks ever said to me, because it gave me a sense of reality about the future.  Nothing will ever work out perfectly.  There is no such thing as a decision with only benefits.  Everything you choose means you will miss out on something else.  It's unfortunate and often creates difficulty, but the good news is...

2.  When it's time to leave, and you know it in your heart, nothing will stop you.  I have done my fair share of hemming and hawing when faced with tough choices, but when I left high school, I knew the things I would be missing out on, like prom, graduation, the senior trip, and I was a little bit sad about it, but I had outgrown my school and my friends and I felt like I was suffocating in that world.  Nothing I was giving up was enough to stop me from leaving.  The benefits outweighed the losses; I knew what I was giving up and I just didn't care.  When everyone else in my class was walking to get their diplomas, I was walking across campus taking night classes.  When they were on their senior trip, I was working 60 hours a week and taking classes on my lunch break.  When they were getting their first cars, I was moving out of my first apartment and across the world to another country.  It was lonely, it was difficult, it was exhilarating and challenging.  I didn't choose an easy path, but it was the only one I could live with.  Whether it's a job, a school, or a relationship, when you're ready to go, nothing will stop you.

In the end, my daughter has decided that she wanted to stay in school and graduate with her friends.  Given how much she was on the fence, this seemed to be the right decision for her.  As much as she wanted to do something new, she wasn't willing to give up all the milestones.  And what that tells me, is that leaving wasn't right for her.  If or when she's ready to walk away from the beaten path, nothing will stop her.

Somewhat along the lines of today's topic, I thought this Either Oar dress would be a fitting 'fit.  Plus, I love red for the chilly months.  This was a thrifted ModCloth piece with the lovely pun names we all miss so much from OG ModCloth.  The name reminds me of a personal mantra about the decisions we all must make.  I decided long ago that the choices between right and wrong aren't the difficult ones.  The decisions that are really tough are Right and Left.  Either this path Or that.  Both will have benefits and pitfalls.  Both come with sacrifices and opportunities.  Weigh out what matters most, what sacrifice you can accept.  Make your choice.  Live your life and try not to look back.

Outfit Info:  Myrtlewood Either Oar Dress from ModCloth is thrifted