My life has been planned out for me since the start. It has never been explicitly stated but my last
name comes with rules and expectations that I have just never questioned. When highschool
came around I would hide away from the other students, not really feeling the need to have
friends. I spent all my spare time in the empty music room where I could play piano without a
care in the world. But one day this life style came to an unexpected halt. Half way through my
first year, a third year student (who looks at acts like a first year on all levels) heard me playing
piano and she told that I played really well and all I offered in return was, “I know.”
We became what could be loosely interpreted as friends, more like she always bugged me while I was playing piano and I tolerated her presents. What I got from meeting her was that she is very obsessed with singers and has always wanted to become the ‘ultimate solo artist’. I tell her straight up that it seems very unrealistic but she justs chides me by saying “you’ll never know till you try.” It felt as if the world was just throwing her in my face to say, “THIS IS WHAT YOU COULD BE DOING!” or “YOU DON’T NEED TO TAKE OVER THE FAMILY HOSPITAL!”.
Honestly, I’m not opposed to becoming a doctor, it would make my parents happy and I don't really have any future goals in mind anyway so why shouldn’t I? Well... when that girl from the music room found out my future plans she, very aggressively, told me all the reasons why I should instead think about what I want to do for myself and not just go based off my family's expectations. I mean she was planning to live her life this way also, is this really the right answer?
To be frank, I found it annoying that this third-year who had to be the one to point this out to me or even be the one to make me think about it, but I found it really didn’t change my perspective on the situation. There are things I know I am very good at doing, from studying, to piano, singing, and photography, but should what your good have to correlate to what you do in the future? I decided to do what I am best at, ignoring all these issues by playing the piano and this time I made sure to lock the door so a certain someone couldn’t bring up the topic again... for today at least.
In the end, it felt much easier to just ride the path that my parents set out for me, go to college and then medical school, and eventually go on to own the family hospital and marry some other prestigious doctor. I got through the years of school because I never allowed myself time to think about the unanswered questions of my high school life. But, if there is one thing I do think about from that time it is the girl who suddenly appeared in my life that one fateful day. Watching her work hard to achieve her dreams of becoming a singer satisfied a repressed side of my brain. She didn’t question my choices after I locked her out of the music room but I know in the end, the choices that were maybe probably disappointed her. But watching her working so hard to
We became what could be loosely interpreted as friends, more like she always bugged me while I was playing piano and I tolerated her presents. What I got from meeting her was that she is very obsessed with singers and has always wanted to become the ‘ultimate solo artist’. I tell her straight up that it seems very unrealistic but she justs chides me by saying “you’ll never know till you try.” It felt as if the world was just throwing her in my face to say, “THIS IS WHAT YOU COULD BE DOING!” or “YOU DON’T NEED TO TAKE OVER THE FAMILY HOSPITAL!”.
Honestly, I’m not opposed to becoming a doctor, it would make my parents happy and I don't really have any future goals in mind anyway so why shouldn’t I? Well... when that girl from the music room found out my future plans she, very aggressively, told me all the reasons why I should instead think about what I want to do for myself and not just go based off my family's expectations. I mean she was planning to live her life this way also, is this really the right answer?
To be frank, I found it annoying that this third-year who had to be the one to point this out to me or even be the one to make me think about it, but I found it really didn’t change my perspective on the situation. There are things I know I am very good at doing, from studying, to piano, singing, and photography, but should what your good have to correlate to what you do in the future? I decided to do what I am best at, ignoring all these issues by playing the piano and this time I made sure to lock the door so a certain someone couldn’t bring up the topic again... for today at least.
In the end, it felt much easier to just ride the path that my parents set out for me, go to college and then medical school, and eventually go on to own the family hospital and marry some other prestigious doctor. I got through the years of school because I never allowed myself time to think about the unanswered questions of my high school life. But, if there is one thing I do think about from that time it is the girl who suddenly appeared in my life that one fateful day. Watching her work hard to achieve her dreams of becoming a singer satisfied a repressed side of my brain. She didn’t question my choices after I locked her out of the music room but I know in the end, the choices that were maybe probably disappointed her. But watching her working so hard to
achieve her dreams of becoming a singer soothed the repressed part of my heart that also maybe..
kinda.. A Little bit.. wanted to also follow a musical passion, but that could be a decision for
some other life time.
I loved this flash fiction! I completely relate to the idea of being pressured by family expectations as I end my senior year. It inspires me to work toward what I really desire to do in my life.
ReplyDelete-Alanah Arteaga
Wow! This is actually a really cool story, it is very relatable. I feel that as high schoolers, we all try to live up to our parents expectations and to read this really changed my mind about what I want to do in the future.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great flash fiction. I can relate with you in so many ways, it's very hard to live up to parents expectations all while really thinking about what you really want to do. After reading this made me feel a lot better knowing I'm not alone with dealing with expectations and doing what you want.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the message of this piece and how you brought an important, yet sometimes unspoken topic to light. It's relatable to everyday life and the pressures people feel to live up to the expectations of others before they put their own desires first. Great work! -Taylor Clayton
ReplyDeleteThis is really inspiring! This feeling of not wanting to disappoint our parents is so common among high school student, especially seniors applying to college. You did a great job of showing that feeling.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your story so much. I was interested from beginning to end and was enticed. They story was very well written and I liked how you ended the story by considering an alternate path in another lifetime. -Charis Webber
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed you flash fiction so much. I enjoyed the story line and your use of vocabulary. I especially enjoyed the ending where you considered a different profession for a different lifetime. - Charis Webber
ReplyDeleteThe message presented in your writing about the pressure and stress that comes with living up to life's expectations is so important to discuss, and I am so glad you did. Your story shined a vivid light on how it can feel to be in the narrator's shoes. It was a very relatable and a well written piece. Great job !-Hannah Espejo
ReplyDeleteI can closely relate to feeling the pressure of living up to my family's expectations of me. I really enjoyed your piece of writing. -Jobelle Dauz P.5
ReplyDeleteThis piece resonates with me so much. The speaker represents EXACTLY what I don't want for my future -- to settle with the preconceived ideals of my parents. It is interesting, however, that you opened up the idea that some people are just fine with doing so. I had never really given it much thought that some people don't mind not following their dreams. I'm an idealist, so reading a realist's perspective is really interesting.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very great,well written flash fiction that many students can relate to by parents carving a path for them and bot wanting to let your parents down so its found difficult for most of us to make our own path by not wanting what our parents might say,think,or do so many of us go with the path they made for us.
ReplyDeleteI like the whole idea about going against what parents want to plan out for their kids because it's extremely restricting. They should be able to dictate what happens in their lives since they're the ones living it. Great job!
ReplyDelete-Arianna Perez
Wow just reading that line "It has never been explicitly stated but my last name comes with rules and expectations that I have just never questioned", I knew I was going to relate to this. I love how you tackled the concept of how we have things we want to do versus things we have to do.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to this, my parents expect so much out of me and it’s so stressful and hard. This piece makes me want to work harder to achieve my goals.
ReplyDeleteYou had me there for a second, I thought this was a real type of narrative. Either way fascinating story. A great perspective, you've given me something to think about.
ReplyDeleteThis really touched me emotionally. You took some classic stereotypes and made them your own. The story had great diction,and was extremely relatable. - Garett Flores
ReplyDelete