Upfront and honest, pffft, yeah right Options

[Naomitron]

My whole life I've been a good kid. All who know me can testify to that. The thing is, I'm 19. I've always had a plan for what I was going to do in life and for the first time, I don't. Everything's been so f**ked up the last couple years and now I see an opportunity that I didn't completely explore when it was first presented to me (at the age of 15). I'm seriously considering go down this path, but it's such a departure from what my family is used to, I don't think they'll approve. I'm mostly concerned about my father. I've been hiding this from him for a long time now. If I take this chance, a lot of things in my life will change. I'll no longer have insurance (which I've had under my father's policy), no more military benefits, and I may have to start paying back my student loans early.

If I do take this chance, I might finally be able to start moving forward in life. I'm not quite sure what to do. I've been thinking it over for the past few months, but now that the fall semester has ended and winter break is upon me, I know that it's now or never to make the decision.

If it were you, taking into account what I've just said, would you follow the path that you and your family have laid out for you, or would you play your wild card and take this new opportunity that's suddenly at your door?

[*Duchess of Dork*]

If it were you, taking into account what I've just said, would you follow the path that you and your family have laid out for you, or would you play your wild card and take this new opportunity that's suddenly at your door?

You probably know how I will answer, based on what you know of me but I'll say it anyway. Play that wild card, honey. Don't live in the shadow of your family's tradition. It just isn't what will will ultimately make you happy. Even if that opportunity doesn't pan out, it beats the hell out of wondering what would have been.

On a personal level, had I not played my wild card and gone down the more easy, less problematic path, I wouldn't have the most amazing, most loving child, despite his disability.

Things have an odd way of working out sometimes.