Facing Futures

Throughout life we experience things that change and refine us. This has been so much a part of life that it is usually strongly expressed in literature. From The Lord of the Rings to Harry Potter, from Pride and Prejudice to Ender's Game. There's nothing as fulfilling or meaningful to readers as when they can relate with the characters of a story, by going through these experiences with them.
One thing that is difficult to portray, but which the writers of the books listed above managed to depict well, is not only when a character faces a growing experience, but when he faces more than one and has to choose or has to somehow do all of them. This is also a very human experience. We all have forks in our roads, and we can't see beyond the bends. It's then that the question arises and we find ourselves in our own strange and beautiful story. "Which should I take?" "Are all of the quests I need to take in this one path in front of me?" "Where does this journey go?" "Am I a strong enough hero for this story?"

Usually, on one road we don't think about this as much, because we see our road relatively clearly. But  when we reach a fork or we look upon one from afar, these questions arise more frequently.

Yesterday I got accepted to college. It's been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember, and I'm thrilled.
But I'm daunted as I see many forks ahead of me...more than I thought there would be a month ago. Since President Monson's announcement on mission ages, the multiple futures I can take has been clearer to me than before. Many more opportunities lie before me, and while I'm excited about each one, I wonder how things will work out and how I, if and when I have to, will decide. Fortunately, the forks and opportunities in life come up often. It's just a matter of timing and faith.

"The future is as bright as your faith."