Don't Analyze Me!

I'm getting so sick of this new trend, in psychology, parenting, schooling, etc. that strives to take blame away from kids, teens, and young adults. I will acknowledge I am not a perfect person. I smoke with friends, do drugs and dance to the music I like, drink heavily, sometimes have sex when I shouldn't. Some people might even argue I am a bad person. But it does not translate into my personality or my professional life. The reason being? I know I am in control of myself and my actions and only I am to blame for them. I don't drink or smoke because of peer pressure. I don't get lured into sexual situations. I didn't try drugs because of shaky parenting. I do all of these things because I FUCKING want to. End of story. And somewhere amid my myriad bad decisions, I managed to get into one of the top 5 masters opera programs in the country at age 22 and already had a call back for the first opera they hadn't cast yet so far this season. And I hold steady jobs. And make new friends. And date. And go to church regularly.

People need to stop trying to blame young people for making these decisions. Fair enough, if your eight year old is smoking cigarettes, you're doing a shit job as a parent, but there is definitely a limit to this. My parents were (or at least my mom was) wonderful because they always taught me what was important to achieve, not what was important to avoid. I am a smart person, who is capable of living life as he wishes. My path may not be a straight line from a to b, but goddammit I'll end up there eventually, and my life will be all the richer and I will be all the wiser having taken the scenic route.

Own who you are! It is the one thing in your life that no one can take from you UNLESS YOU LET THEM! And you are better than that.