7/31/2005 08:31:00 PM|W|P|Kashaf|W|P|A month left till the summer is over. Thankfully it seems to be going a bit slower than previous years. I decided to live life one day at a time. Be thankful for what each day brings me. Enjoy the present and worry about the future when it actually gets here. Though of course, this doesn't mean I don't have dreams and ambitions; it just means that I'm not as preoccupied over them as others seem to be. Life seems much simpler and more peaceful this way. Classes seem to be a breeze. There never seems to be a dull moment. I never find myself bored on a Friday night. I have great friends who are always asking me to hang out; sometimes the number of offers I get are overwhelming (I'm not bragging, just acknowledging and being appreciative for the opportunities I have been given). I have a great family that is understanding of the way I live my life and lets me choose my own path. They realize that this is my own life to live and the decisions that only affect me are mine, and only mine, to make. Sure, they give me their input and opinions, but in the end, they don't force me to do anything. I honestly feel sorry for my friends whose families are not so understanding and force my friends to follow a certain path in life rather than give them a choice. As a result, they are frustrated with the work they don't wish to do, lead stressful lives, and are generally unhappy. Then their parents wonder why grades are low and their children so unhappy. The unfortunate part is that when my friends actually try to talk to their parents, they are totally unwilling to listen. They fail to understand a fundamental fact of life. Their children are not slaves or property that they can mold in whatever image they please; they are human beings with their own desires, hopes, and dreams. Rather than stifle those ambitions, they should be encouraging them. What good is your son/daughter becoming a doctor if he/she will be miserable for the rest of their lives? Wouldn't it be better for your children, who you claim to love and want the best for, to make the decision of what they want to do with their own lives? I personally would never force my child to follow a certain profession. I would give him/her the choice to do whatever he or she wants. I can only guide them to the door, I can not open it for them, nor should I pick the door of my choosing and throw them into it. As a parent, I should be a guiding light for my children, not a force that competes with God in choosing where their destiny lies. In the end, I do not wish to be blamed for the unhappiness of my children. Plus, if your children are happy, then you know that you did a good job raising them and when the time comes to leave this existence, you can rest peacefully knowing that you leaving with no regrets or remorse.|W|P|112285646081033931|W|P|Summer|W|P|kashk5@gmail.com