A Lovely Autumn Night

Recently I’ve been coming back to that poem and this post by my former colleague Tiffany wrote about motherhood and ambition.

While I am not a mother (or father), I have also felt this shift in myself. My ambition feels so differently shaped now. In my 20s, ambition was for it’s own sake (climbing high towers)- to find something to tell people about, and so gain some glory.

I know that is the purpose of youth, but still I feel sorry for my past self.

Isn’t the world lovely enough? I can go outside and stare at the sky or talk to the people I love and that can be as pleasant as any achievement.

Ambition is now for the people I love and will love. And so I work harder than ever before. I do more meaningful work, so they are taken care of.

There is not much time, and we will taste sorrow again, but it’s such a cool and lovely autumn night.

Let’s go for a walk.