Why Wonder? Do It Now

People like to say some variation of, "do it now because you never know if you'll get the chance again," but I don't know...that seems like a pretty gloomy outlook on life. I prefer to take a more positive spin.

If there is something you want now, make it happen. Not because you won't have the chance, but because life happens, things change.

• You still want those funky shoes you never bought at 25, but at 35, maybe it's not the best look.
• You still daydream of walking the Brooklyn Bridge on a warm Spring day. It never seemed urgent when you lived in NYC, and now, 12 years later, you're living back home in Sweden, and it isn't so convenient.
• Every time you see a Vespa, you imagine yourself zipping around town to pick up groceries and visit friends. Now, you live in a quiet suburban neighborhood. You could get the Vespa, but it wouldn't be the same.

Whether you're seeking the feeling of wearing funky shoes or your hair flowing in the wind doesn't matter. Either way, you'll always wonder what it would have felt like to make that choice.

Sometimes, it won't be what you expect, but living without the weight of wonder and regret is priceless. Other times, it will exceed your expectations. In either case, it may even inadvertently lead to somewhere new. There are few examples of this in my life that immediately come to mind.

Wanted to make a new friend: If I hadn't mustered up the courage to talk to the kid at the bus stop wearing the same shoes as me in fourth grade, I wouldn't have met Kyle. We've been best friends ever since. By the way, we were born nine days apart. Weird.

Wanted to try teaching: If I hadn't decided to inquire about starting a Teaching Assistant program within the Graphic and Interactive Design program in college, I wouldn't have met my wife, Dana, in my first class. I loved teaching. I feel lucky to know that and that somehow it will fit into my future.

Wanted to experience a new city: If I hadn't chosen to move to NYC, I wouldn't have landed at Barrel. I'd probably still be wondering what it would be like to live here, but at this point, less interested in the pace. Oh, and the job that got me to the city? Not what I expected, but hey, it got me here.

Why wonder when you can find out now?