The Truth at Twenty-Three

“We're all different.... But there's something kind of fantastic about that, isn't there?”

 –Mrs. Fox, Fantastic Mr. Fox

I’ve always wondered where I would be at 23.

When I was 18, I had this grandiose dream of being with my “true love,” graduated from college with a corporate job, living the most predictable life. At 23.

It’s funny how it all worked out. In fact, it’s just kind of funny.

Two of my best friends I’ve had since 5^th grade were recently talking with me about how our lives worked out. We laughed at what we thought when we were 18. And we talked about how we ended up. One a biomedical engineer who is finishing building a house at 22, one a personal trainer in a serious relationship she is incredibly happy in, and me—a sales rep for a craft brewery, traveling the East Coast.

Despite not living up to our 18 year old selves’ dreams, I think we all did a damn fine job and are happier for how we did end up than if we had simply “played it by the book.”

For a very long time, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I was terrified to admit that to anyone, but it was a truth I lived with. Even after graduating from college (I was 20, geez), and on my way to law school, I had absolutely no idea. I knew that the economy was in the toilet, and I knew that there were things I did like doing—cooking/baking, discovering craft beer, reading books, playing video games—I had no idea how my life was going to turn out. I had barely any money to my name, and I was about to go into close to $50,000 of debt for a single year of law school. I was in a relationship that I thought was the end all be all of relationships in my life, I was moving away from my home city and my family, and to be entirely honest, I was absolutely scared to death.

The good news was that, despite that debt, and that one year of law school I was miserable in, and that relationship dissolving very shortly after my move… I finally figured out what I wanted to do. I had never been so sure about anything in my life. I walked out on that fear and uncertainty and walked into a whole new world: finding a job. 

And after eight months of searching, and stress, and utter fear that I wouldn’t ever get my dream job, while working full time as a waitress, and living hand to mouth… I got a call to go to final interviews in Michigan.

Traveling to Michigan for the interview bankrupted me. I had gambled with the last of my savings to interview for my dream job. But I went up to Michigan with one thing in mind regardless: be myself no matter what, because I was tired of being anything but that.

When I returned home, I knew that if I didn’t get that job, that I would likely have one soon. Because I was lucky enough to be surrounded by one of the best communities in the world—the NC craft beer community. I had learned so much from my peers that I knew, eventually, it would happen. Someday it would happen… it was just a matter of time.

When I got the final call, I was walking into my apartment complex’s office to turn in the utility bill. It was, almost quite literally, the last money I had. I had $14 in my pocket, and that was it. The end of the line. When I was invited to join the team, I almost burst into tears on the phone. I had never felt such relief and happiness and a rush of adrenaline like that in my life as in that moment. When I called my Mom after, I could barely even talk. I bawled like a little baby while she did the same on the other end of the phone, because my dream was finally coming true. I had found my brewery—my second home and family.

A little more than four months later, I turned 23. I was living my dream, with my dream job. That was the “true love” I should have seen when I was 18. The industry I worked in. The passion for the craft.

That’s one of the most beautiful things about life: you have to live it to actually find out how your story will go.

I do not have a significant other. I have not for almost a year. And 18 year old me would have been freaking out about that. But I’m not. Eighteen year old Lindsay is the not the same as 23 year old Lindsay, and I am very happy for that.  

I’m lucky to have figured out my passion this young. I’m lucky to have the support of friends, family, my company, and of peers in the craft beer industry. Without them, it simply wouldn’t be the same.

So thank you, to everyone who has been there for me and who helped make 23 possible. I simply cannot thank you enough.

But also, thanks to 18 year old Lindsay, who became 23 year old Lindsay, and was so much better off for it.

 

Cheers.