I’ve been working on my nostalgia photo posts (as you may have already seen) and as I was thinking about my options one thought kept circling back around: it’s Jeremy’s 18th birthday. If this photo doesn’t make this mom feel nostalgic nothing else will.

As we prepare to celebrate this milestone with him, there are so many things I want to say to him. Mostly I need to convince him that his future starts now. I don’t expect him to answer  all the “what do you want to be when you grow up” questions that adults always have. Some of us still don’t know the answer to that. We’ve been told to “follow your passion and you will be happy” but maybe we haven’t figured out what we’re passionate about. I saw a video a little while back on this subject, or rather, on not taking that route. The speaker believes that success fuels passion, even creates it.

So maybe nothing at school has inspired you to pursue a particular subject any further. Working at a grocery store may not have motivated you to pursue a career in retail. But I hope that having a little money in your pocket will lead to wanting a little more money in your pocket. Enough money so you can have a car, pay for insurance, put gas in the tank. Which would lead to better jobs because you can now drive yourself to work, which could lead to more money in your pocket and in the bank, and who knows, maybe even a job you love.

You’ve reached adulthood, young man. It’s a big world out there and it’s yours for the taking. You know the possibilities are endless. But only if you do something … make it happen. It’s not going to come to you. Get out there!