by Kinsey Phipps

Do you ever imagine what you want your future to look like? Do you have a perfect vision in your head of how you want your life to end up?

I am the type of person who needs to have a set plan. Even if it is something as simple as what I am doing that night. I like to know what time, who will be there and where we are going. This is not to say I don’t have any spontaneity, but most of the time I have a set plan.

I suppose I can’t really help it, my mind makes lists and agendas automatically. Because of this, my future is mapped out perfectly. You can ask me virtually any question about my future, and I will be able to give you an answer. If you ask me what college I want to go to, I can answer. If you ask me what I want to do after college, your question will be answered in a long, lengthy explanation. If you’re wondering about how many children I want, I can tell you along with their names and what genders I would prefer.

I realize half of my plans will change, but that is okay. Although I have my life thought out pretty thoroughly, I don’t wish for everything to go as planned. This life that we live is not meant to be planned. Life is meant to be full of surprises and impetuous decisions.

The way I see it, our lives are made up of the people we meet and the experiences we have gained. If everything always went according to plan, there would be no amusement. Life would be a bore. We would go through the motions everyday with knowledge of what’s next. We would not have memories of this amazing person we met on that impromptu weekend trip. We would not have run into that amazing little coffee shop or heard the beautiful voice of the performer while we were sipping on cappuccinos.

Look back on your best memories. Did you plan them? Look back on some of your favorite people that you have met. Did you mean to run into them or get introduced? For some, the answer is probably yes. However, I know many of the amazing people and experiences in my life happened because something didn’t go as the schedule said it would.

I have grown to learn that when something doesn’t go exactly according to plan, it is not necessarily bad. This world has never had a schedule. Our lives are not meant to be lived on a schedule. It is okay to go off course.

The next time you worry your life is not going according to your intentions, just realize that it is all part of a bigger plan. After all, everything happens for a reason.