We all fall into a lifelong project of one sort or another. Most commonly, people will wake up one day and find that they are parents,..  with a mortgage. Becoming parents, raising children, then grandparents, and great grandparents. It is their lifelong project. 

There are some of us who wake up to discover ourselves immersed in other kinds of lifelong projects. Projects where it is beneficial that we never got married and had children. All of our energy and all of our focus is given to that project. Serving more than a family. Or, serving the larger family we call community and humanity.

It is the same experience for both, really. Following their passion along a path until the project undeniably has them by the throat. Everyone goes through a period of rebellion and fighting in an effort to deny the finality of it. But, if we are wise, we eventually let go and give ourselves to it completely.

The tragedy is when people don’t fall into their lifelong project. Either they are too timid to commit to their passion, or they allow themselves to be pulled away. Perhaps social pressure gets them to marry and have children, even though their passion is elsewhere. In this case, the children suffer too. Or, a person too timid to share their art languishes in a menial job. In this case, society suffers.

I am one who has found themselves waking up to playing a role in a lifelong project that I did not anticipate; could not anticipate. It is not being a parent and raising children, but it requires the same amount of patience and humility. Every time I believe that I see what this project is, from the beginning, and then guess where it is going, my vision flutters and I see that it is much larger in scope and scale. Beginning earlier in my life than I realized and involving much more of this world than I could imagine.

Nothing to do but give in to it and enjoy the ride.