Christen Rouson

I was on a roll typing a completely different blog, then I deleted it for this.

| Why Not? |

This blog is inspired by the conversation that I just had with my co-worker less than five minutes ago.

“I really want to move out of state.  If I don’t move out of state, I am considering moving to Richmond.”  My co-worker, who is a wife and mother of three boys in high school, began telling me how she wishes she would have traveled more, moved away, and experienced life a bit more prior to having so many obligations.  She then followed that statement with, “Do what you can while you can.”

If you were to ask my 16 year-old-self what I thought life would look like now, the 2004 Christen edition would make mention of a husband, a few children, being a homeowner, and working some magnificent career.  In a quick comparison, the present day 30 year-old Christen is single as a dollar bill, with nare chick nor child, renting a third-floor apartment, and a secretary by day who is building a few of her dreams into careers.  For the record, I am in NO way feeding you some sob story.  Though my life isn’t perfect and it looks nothing like I imagined 15 years ago, I have learned to love the life I have and work for what I want.  Anyway, when my co-worker said, “Do what you can while you can,” it was as if something clicked deep within my soul.  I am not tied down by a husband, any children, a piece of property, or even a career that is hard to replace.  I’m not even restrained by a boyfriend.  For all intents and purposes, I am free, honey!  I have been handed a one way ticket to go live life with little to no limitations.

Let me just say: No, I’m not just going to up and make any rash decisions without consulting God.  Because my will is submitted to his, I know that I ultimately need his guidance so that I’m not living outside of his will.  Amen? Amen.

Now that I’ve stated that for the record, back to what I was saying.  Being transparent, I have been mega frustrated with some of the normalcy of my life.  I am, in some ways, discontent about the dynamics that make up my day-to-day life.  I am beyond ready to move from my third-floor apartment and my city altogether, I feel as if I am not fully fulfilling my purpose, and maybe some changes need to be made as it relates to my occupation, and so on and so forth.  It’s like I have been standing at a fork in the road waiting for direction AND clearance to move forward…to try something new.  Hesitation has stopped me from making big leaps, but why?  Again, I don’t have a husband or kids.  What do I really have to lose?  So if I want to go back to school one more time, who am I abandoning at home?  If I want to take a week off of work and travel to the other side of the country, who do I have to answer to?  If I decide to move to New York, DC, Atlanta, or California, what am I leaving behind?  I could do any or all of these things.

When ending my conversation with my co-worker, I told her of a recent conversation with a friend who was jokingly trying to convince me to move to a city that is seemingly far away from my home base.  I shared with her the litany of excuses that I proclaimed to my friend in between laughs and chuckles.  “I’d be all alone over there.  My church is way over here.  My friends live over here.”  Blah, blah, blah!  At the end of the day, no excuse was greater than an opportunity to try.  I looked at my co-worker and said, ” I could move there or anywhere if I wanted to.  Why not?”

“Do what you can while you can.”

THE MORAL OF THE STORY

I already know that a few of you have surmised that this blog has nothing to do with you in the least bit, but that’s not how I roll, my dear.  Even in the moments where I am pouring out my heart before you, I try to leave a take-away that is applicable to your life by some measure.  I am aware that some of you do have a spouse and/or children.  You may very well be a homeowner, and you could possibly work a job that won’t allow you to abruptly uproot your life and move to lands unknown.  Let’s go ahead a remove moving away from the context, mmkay?

Today, in this very moment, you have the ability – strength, vigor, energy, resources, etc. – to do some things that you may not have the ability to do later in life including but limited to tomorrow.  For example, I just conversed with a lady in her forties yesterday about being a hair stylist.  She said when she was younger, she could stand for 9-12 hours behind the chair doing one head of hair after the other, but now not only has she gotten older, she has bone spurs and back issues that make standing for long periods of time virtually impossible.  When she could do it, she did it.  Now that she can’t do it, she has to improvise or not do it at all.  Do you see my point?

While you have today and the all of the opportunities that today has offered you, DO SOMETHING!  There is no gift greater than the chance to try.  So you don’t have all you need; use what you have!  Period!  Ask God for guidance and direction, and when he directs your path, WALK ON IT!  Here’s the truth, not every opportunity comes around again, and if it does, it may be harder to seize it.  Going back to school at 29 years old was rewarding, but going to school straight out of high school required less of a sacrifice.  Though I have no regrets about my journey, I acknowledge that I didn’t take full advantage of what I could do [easily] when I could do it.

Today I want to challenge you to do something with me.  Yes, I am going to legitimately do this.  On one side of a sheet of paper, I want you to make a list of all of the things that you want to/feel led to do or at least try.  On the opposite side of the sheet of paper, I want you to list the reasons why feel that you can’t do them.  Then in big, bold letters, I want you to write over top your excuse column, “WHY NOT?”

This year, I will make bold moves.

I hope this helps.
-Chris ❤