Ten years from now I could almost be anything, ranging from those lost souls roaming the streets or the lost souls trapped in a cubicle. But my aspirations must always remain high, no matter the amount of darkness clouding my path. And these positions I want to acquire involve knowledge and entertainment and the marriage between the two. This is why I plan to pursue a career in journalism, so I do not have to rely on other people for my information.

I realized what I wished to do with my life when the door to my mind and new ideas was opened as if by an over-eager SWAT team on an unwarranted search. The man who was a major proponent of the Hellenic invasion of the brain was Christopher Hitchens. Using his pen as a sword to cut through the veil of lies I had been told throughout my young life. Hitchens was the first person to explain how literature and argument is an effective tool to create change in the hearts and minds of people. He showed me that tough subjects could, in fact, be criticized with reason and that this logic and reasoning process can be applied to every aspect of life. I then began to learn and think more about my surroundings. Not only did this increase my mental aptitude, it allowed me to think for myself and not be affected by people who quite honestly were not my companion in the advancement of my future.

I began to read. A new flower in my life started to bloom. It displayed its magnificent colors through novels, poetry, comedies, plays, articles, and various other texts that still plan to reveal themselves to me and reach out to my open heart and mind and suffocate them in eternal bliss. While I read as much as I can in my spare time it is art that allows me to appreciate what life gives and lets me know that I am not alone. The little things count. The laughter of a friend or the smile granted to you from a quiet angel. These are the things that are overlooked. I want to write, or rather, I must write. The need to express myself in a way through the written word was imperative. I wanted to be like my heroes were and to finally be free and true to myself. Whether or not this goal is within my reach is all up to how I work towards the end result, doing hard work out of passion. And trusting myself is as important if not more than the skeptical outlook that has more or less brought me to this point.

In the end what I desire is to be doing something I enjoy. The feeling of contributing to society in an entertaining and knowledgeable way shall stimulate my own narcissistic want for attention. And not only is seeing a smile on someone’s face what can give my whole day meaning; it is the thought of them learning something in the process. This is the reason for my choice of pursuing a career in journalism and my motivation to hone in whatever skills I have and light up the world.