It's easy to confuse grand design with life's repercussions. Lament not your vanquished fantasy; it's only destiny.

When I started high school, I learned that balance was vital to survival. Yet no matter how hard I tried, I could not reach a stable equilibrium between my professional, academic, social, recreational, and romantic ambitions. Having three of the five was fairly common; four in five was rare. But the lost sheep always matters the most, right? Little has changed since then. At times I’ve felt that which was missing, the romantic aspect more often than not, would by itself bring more happiness than all the others.

Now, for the first time since my senior year in high school, I feel like my world is finally balanced. The professional and academic have made peace with each other and the world. My life still lacks a bit socially and recreationally, but I’m not too far from where I’d like to be. The romantic aspect resembles something stable and worthwhile. So am I perfectly content now? No, but “content” is the right word to use.

It’s beautiful to think, “Once I have A through E, I can be happy,” and I will admit that life is indeed better when you get close to having what you want. Still, making a good entree takes more than merely adding all the correct ingredients. My frame of reference is no longer an ideal; it’s reality. So though I’m saying a similar thing that I said a year ago, I feel like my words hold more weight. Strength in one area does not make up for a lack in another. Despite previous hopes, reality proves that there are neither shortcuts nor any components that can be completely disregarded in favor of something higher up on the priority list.