Plans Change

                Today I met with David again. It had been a decent amount of time since our last meeting, because our schedules have not matched up very well. A lot has changed. A few minutes into the conversation, after we exchanged small talk about how our day had been and whatnot, out of nowhere David told me in a serious tone that he had recently gotten married. David is 19 and has only been living in the country since July, so I was pretty surprised by this news. He married a woman who is neighbors with his aunt and uncle, with whom he lives. Still, I congratulated him and a big smile stretched across his face; you could tell he was expecting a different response from me.

                I asked David how his parents reacted. He told me he hadn’t talked to his parents in a while because that was his uncle’s rule, but he called them a few days before the wedding. They were shocked and somewhat disappointed with the news. His mother was worried about his age and his father was upset because this wasn’t “part of the plan.” My heart broke for David when he told me about his parents’ initial lack of support. Deciding to get married is one of the biggest decisions in a person’s life and not having my parents’ approval of my decision would be discouraging to say the least. His classmates and teachers are also very surprised when he tells them, most replying with, “You’re so young!”

I was honest with him and told him that I personally would not consider getting married at my age and the point I’m at in my life. I wouldn’t consider getting married during my undergraduate years, and I see myself most likely waiting until at least the end of medical school (if that’s where my path takes me), and possibly after. But it is impossible and futile to plan out your whole life and the exact date when events like marriage will take place and, like David, someday my plans might change out of the blue. Still, David said he was happy and confident in the choice he made, and I think that is all that matters.

                Now that David is married, his plan has definitely take a 180. He recently got a job in landscaping and is now very busy with work on top of his studies. I think this will prove to be a positive experience for him because a job gets him more involved in the community and interacting with other people to help improve his English and social skills. Not to mention he is obviously bringing in income and gaining valuable work experience in America.

                I asked David what his new plan was. He told me that he first plans on using the money he makes from his job to pay for his own apartment. He no longer wants to live with his aunt and uncle now that he is married, so he has taken the initiative to get his own place. He wants to continue his education until the end of this year and then he plans on joining the Navy. He has always been interested in the military and he has several family members who are also in the Navy who he has been speaking to about it. As a matter of fact his wife is also in the Navy and she will be touring overseas for a year I believe he said, starting around the beginning of 2015.

                Although David made a decision that most people might question or even disapprove of, he remains unwavering and confident. He has developed a plan and seems to know how to handle this crazy turn in his life. And because of that I have the utmost respect for him. Most people might not be able to handle the pressure from family, friends, and society when faced with his situation, but he is handling it so well. I will keep supporting him and I am excited to see where this takes him.