Moral Compass: Fork in the Road

Our moral compasses shape us into our very unique molds. It's the direction we choose to follow, the fork in the road that we come to and have to decide which road to take. Not only is our morality our self respect, but our compasses that guide us through life. What means the most to you? Do you have your priorities "straight" as some would say? My four main priorities and points to my compass in life are family and friends, passion, determination, and sports and social life. In that particular order.

If someone were able to step inside the pair of cleats and the pair of goalkeeper gloves I play in everyday, every month, every season, every year; and into my head - with all the cluttered file cabinets of thoughts, they would only have a preview of the last seventeen years of my life, and the next four to come. My family and friends are what matter most to me, and who guide me through my hectic, stressful, and busy but fortunate life. My parents, most importantly, affect every decision I ever have and ever will make. They are the constant early morning robin, that no matter what, I can still hear chirp in the background of every thought. I know that I've been blessed with family that cares so much about me, my present, and my future. Family and friends shape my morals by teaching me through everything -good and bad, adversity or not - what is right. They have strongly urged the phrase, "guilty by association", to encourage that I pay close attention to the decisions I make and who I choose to associate myself with.

My passion and determination are the next two points of my compass that dually influence me everyday.  About ninety percent of my life I would say is spent on a soccer field, or an athletic facility. Soccer isn't just a sport for me anymore as it was throughout elementary school, and most of middle school. Soccer is a passion. Not only a passion, or a stress reliever, but it is where I feel a sense of achievement and purpose. If I was handed pen and paper and told to write, I could write but with hesitation to "want" to write - entire lack of motivation. If handed my gloves and a soccer ball, I could persevere. In spite of becoming tired and so competitive that nothing else matters, I would be determined to maintain a purpose for playing; pushing through the aches, the pains, the negative mentality to give up. As it is with soccer, it is with art. Art is where my passion meets life. It is brought to life through whatever media I use, and whatever sense of depth my art stresses. Many of the messages in today's society have no way to be, simply yet complexly, expressed to every individual of this world with the exception of visual art.

And lastly, an important point of my compass is my social life. A calm, relaxing, but exciting social life. I'm not the type to always have to be a part of some sort of crowd, but I do believe that there is more to life than just school, sports, a job, and looking for something to do next. I never take for granted the time I have with my friends, since most of my life lately is planning the next four years. I know I'm grateful for the opportunity to plan the next stage of my life, and hopefully when I get there, I can incorporate my social life as easily as I can now. Having morals, knowing to always try to make the best decisions, and keeping in mind that they will always affect the person I am and will become, I would never trade my moral compass with anyone. I will never allow myself to behold regrets, to make poor and preventable decisions, or be guilty of anything (but the junk food I eat). I know I'll always "keep my priorities straight", and take the right road when I get to that fork.