THE THINGS I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE FIGURED OUT BY NOW.

Career: I thought the right direction would feel like a direction. Sometimes it feels like a room I keep rearranging.

“The work is to stay near the things that make you curious.”

Money: I thought earning more would make the question quieter. It mostly gives the question better stationery.

Taste: I thought I would know what I liked by now. I know what I notice. This is close, but not identical.

Time: I thought a free afternoon would feel long. It disappears with exceptional efficiency.

Ambition: I thought I would separate wanting to make something from wanting to be seen making it. The two still share a coat.

Success: I thought it would be a destination. It seems to be a series of rooms that look persuasive from the hallway.

Finished: I thought you knew because the work stopped asking for attention. Sometimes it stops because you have run out of courage. I remain open to further evidence.