Crossroads As A Way Of Life

Just about everyone can relate to the concept of periodically coming to a "crossroads" in life, where the fork in the road will forever shape destiny. In my own journey, however, these crossroads are such an annoying constant that my path corkscrews into an endless spiral with little hope of moving forward. True, some may say life is about the journey rather than the destination, but at times the dizzying twists and turns of fate get tiresome.

The latest fork in life's road is school. Again. For the past two and a half years I've been in the process of pursuing a two-year nursing degree--a pursuit which will require another two and a half years to complete. At this halfway point I stopped to regroup, largely because the more I write--and learn about writing--the harder it is to give the bulk of my mental energy to a career with good financial prospects but which dangles so far from my dream.

This semester, expected to be my last before the grueling nursing curriculum, I decided to march ahead on BOTH sides of the road. I am taking a science class that will do my transcripts good, but am also flirting with DreamLand by using a writing course to meet my Humanities requirement. Yes, I've taken several already. But this will force me to "have" to find time to write while still plodding along the responsible path.

I know what you're thinking. (Not the part about me being crazy.) With one foot planted firmly on each side of the forked road you're wondering how long I can travel before my legs have stretched too far and I must finally snap along a single path. So am I. But, for a while at least, in the midst of classes on bedsores and botulism I will have an island haven to retreat to. I wonder if I can come up with a good Haiku about nursing school?