being true to oneself when faced with change

Whatever Path we choose in this life, we must always try to be true to ourselves.

It is interesting, I think almost every year I think about this. I think this is the essence of walking a Path, we must always look and watch our steps otherwise it will be easy to loose one's way. I am seeing another side of this too, there are many people out there who, usually with good intentions, try to teach/guide someone along a Path. This is the essence of any student/teacher relationship, and it is necessary to learning. But I think the trick is not to fight this during the teaching, but more about how we decide to truly integrate and use that teaching afterwards. But on the other hand, if the teaching is a completely wrong match, there is nothing wrong with realizing its a wrong direction early on.
Being true to oneself in the face of change and teaching is a difficult thing.

Was it worth it ....

I just finished watching the movie "Life or Something like it" again. It really is pretty good especially for career women types. It is a love story and career story and a story about choices. Of course it is a bit hollywood and the basic message is again trying to tell career women that a power life without love is "meaningless". Of course the main character sees the lights and finds a balance between career, partner, and family. Balance is good and we should always try to search for it. But if one can get past the Hollywood it actually is a good emotional movie with things to think about.

But then the interesting thing was that after the movie I stumbling on a story in Japan Times about a dysfunctional family/marriage. And the thing is that these stories are not uncommon (in any country). I have experienced a dysfunctional relationship and I have friends who have gone through it too.

So was it worth it? Was it worth it choosing a partner, helping raising a family and ending up in a dysfunctional hell for a couple years before deciding to move on? Was it worth choosing a career and finding peace and serenity in a life and oneself and trying to do something to change the world for the better? Was it worth learning to live life and waiting for the right person, but being too old to have children, but being OK with that? Life is choice and there are many potential paths for us to walk down every single minute of every day? What is a "meaningful life"? Is that not something everyone has to figure out for themselves? I don't think anyone can advice others on how to choose the path we each walk. If we are aware of our path and the choices we make, then we should never have doubt about our life and where it has bought us.

Was it worth it ... はい yes, every part and every choice