Too often we get caught up in the past and forget we are ever marching forward.  Recently, in a spirited discussion with a teenager I asked him where he thought he wanted to be in ten years time.  He stared at me blankly and responded, “I don’t know!”  I rephrased and asked him his five year plan and was again left with the “I don’t know!” response.  The world lies ahead of him and he has no point of reference to navigate to.  Is this so wrong?  Do we need ten year plans? Do we need five year plans? I am not quite sure about having a set itinerary but certainly having a future marker to march to will make decisions easier.

I’ve always been a forward thinking person.  The past cannot be changed and getting caught up in it often slows the march forward. If we have no point of reference as to where are we headed how can we take the first step away from what is behind us.  The geographer in me knows that there are many ways to get to the same place – that is the fun in life. Living in the moment while constantly knowing you are moving forward certainly is better that not knowing where you are headed and having to constantly find a new finish line.