I Might Be in Trouble

by Daniel Aleman

For the longest time, I resented him. I felt as though he had pushed me away from my dream, but looking back, perhaps it became true because of my father. There’s nothing quite like having someone tell you that you can’t have the things you want to make you work even harder to get them. Nothing like the idea of one day being able to say “You were wrong about me” to give you drive, and focus, and inspiration to keep going.

Nobody talks about what it’s like to get everything you ever wanted… and then lose it. There’s no rulebook for what to do when that happens. At best, people will show you pity. At worst, they’ll deem you unworthy of the things you had achieved—or even blame you for losing them. Anything to hold on to their idea that realized dreams should be static, and that anyone who finds themself in my position was simply too stupid or too reckless to maintain their success.

That’s something positive to be said about New York, I suppose—as long as you’re not a slow walker, no one cares what you do.