*originally written before my 26th birthday
“I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.
I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time.”
― Jack London
I think we're so fond of idioms that refer to a proverbial path or track because they simply imply a sense of purposeful direction. A path has already been tread, it's known territory by at least one other being; it leads somewhere. A track is proof of forward momentum (though there is an argument to be made about some tracks being circular and/or unending, ouroboric even, thus feeding some reincarnate infinitum ideology, but I won't make it here). We use milestones as reminders of our progression and as evidence of our accomplishments. The Golden Milestone in the middle of Rome was meant to be the central point from which all roads began, and where all roads were said to lead (it is now lost, nothing to read into).
And none of these are bad things. It's important to have consistent, healthy bursts of pro-activeness, forward thinking and evolutionary propulsion. It's also relevant to recognize your own Uterus Aureus, and be cognizant of the signposts and markers you've created, reached and driven past. It's necessary to be a part of this momentum, aside from it being the basis of all life. What I'm reaching for here is that while these implications can be arguably misleading or simplistic, you shouldn't lose sight of their idealism. By no means is this meant to discourage you from forging your own path, but rather to reinstate the significance of continuing to think of it as having a destination.
In short, next time someone tells you to be still, tell them to fuck off. Because essentially, they're asking you to die. Anyone who tells you to grow up is telling you to stop growing. So stay on track, enjoy your path, and just don't stop.
(Put on "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen)
Now be honest, how many people misread "simply imply"?
