The heart is a lighthouse, a dependable guide that illuminates paths through the complicated sea of possibilities. To follow or to ignore is a choice that only the captain can make. Under its guidance, one can pursue his or her interests, subjects that bring meaning to the voyage of life. One is not guaranteed a safe journey, but one of brilliance and splendor.

Senior Katherine Lin is a dancer. From the age of five, she has pursued and explored the art of expressive movement. Lin says, “I’ve done jazz, lyrical, tap, hip hop, and musical theatre, but I specialize in ballet.” Dance is her vehicle of expression, her outlet for feelings and ideas, and undeniably, a subject of great importance in her life. Lin followed the path illuminated by her heart, and her journey has awarded her with much return.

However, as with most pursuits, there are moments where the heart wavers. Early enthusiasm is often dampened by the violent storms that threaten to sink the ship. For Lin, one of these storms came in the form of a torn ACL. Lin says, “The hardest moment was when I tore my ACL, and questioned the continuation of dance.” As a result of her injury, she had to quit her career as a company dancer, and forfeit her spot as a competitive dancer.

Moments like these are most difficult. Unforeseen yet so impactful, hardships test the conviction of an individual.

Lin did not falter. She continued dancing.

Freshman Shefali Saxena is another talented individual here at Issaquah High. As a horseback rider for the national team, she spends many afternoons on the back of her hooved companion. Reflecting upon her first competition, Saxena says, “I wasn’t expecting to be doing super good but I ended up getting first place against other competitors that were more advanced than me.” Basked in the glory and satisfaction of victory, she fell in love with the sport. Her initial interest in horseback riding spurred into a pursuit of passion. Saxena’s sparse trips to the race track elongated and became more frequent.

Everyone likes to win, likes to succeed, and likes to be one of value in the world. Our desires for success attracts us to subjects that we had previous success in but there can only be one winner. Each victory do not ensure the next but increases our anticipation for the future. A path driven only by results will not last forever.

As competition got fierce, Saxena no longer felt the same about riding. Defeats found their way into her collection of victories as she expanded her horizons and entered into the national stage. The task that she once enjoyed, now instills pressure and fear unfamiliar to her. Saxena says, “I could drop out but it would be a waste of what I have been doing.”

Results are important and defeats do suck. But there is much more to one’s pursuit than the binary outcomes that competition has to offer. The days of practice in the heat or rain might pale in comparison to medallions and trophies. Yet, it is the sweat and pain of those days that defines an individual, not the glory and fame.

At the same time, individuals are not one-dimensional. Saxena had many other interests in addition to her love for horseback riding. She says, “I genuinely enjoy going to school and learning. I love taking the science classes.” When she grows up, Saxena wishes to enter a field involving the science concepts that intrigues her. She acknowledges the limitations of horseback riding, stating, “Horseback riding can only go so far, competitions and that is about yet, but sciences can do a lot more.” Even so, Saxena seems hesitant to quit riding.

There is a term in economics called “sunk cost” that describes her reluctance in letting go. According to the website High Performance Lifestyle, sunk cost, “in its most basic form means that you have invested so much effort, time, energy, love, money and other resources into a project that you are afraid to give it all up and lose the momentum. That fear of wasting those resources is what keeps you at bay, parallelized at the idea of quitting.” As more resources are invested, the sunk costs expand, making it harder to quit. Thus one chooses to keep going.

Of course, only time will tell where one will end up. Afterall, in the long run, nothing is fixed. Interests of one day can wither in the flow of time allowing new one to blossom in there place.

Freshman Nico Oja says, “I go to the gym to get stronger and more body mass.” Driven by the sense of accomplishment and the physical manifestation of his efforts, Oja chooses to spend much of his free time at the gym working out. However, in the depth of his consciousness, he is well aware that “if you stop going to the gym for a while, you will start to lose the strength that you spent so much time building up.” The strength and physique that Oja cherishes will deteriorate if he so chooses to halt his daily regimen of exercises. The thought of muscles fading beneath a layer of fat strikes horror into the hearts of all athletes. For some, it is enough to prompt a trip to the gym for some quality iron pumping action.

Like Saxena, Oja is, in part, driven by the fear of losing what he worked so hard to establish. With results so easily felt and seen, Oja is constantly reminded of his physical condition. The investment of time and energy over long span of time instills a habit that drives the continuation of the endeavor.

Sophomore Nathan Clark says, “I have ADHD (Attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder) so it is hard to focus on things sometimes, but history really interests me and I can focus on history books.” In addition to the required reading for history class, Clark also purchases nonfiction history books to read during his free time. Clark is able to overcome some of the side effects of his brain disorder through the pursuit of his interest in history. Yet, when asked about whether or not he will pursuit history studies in college, Clark says, “I want to study dentistry or some other medical profession. There just isn’t enough economic opportunities for people who like history.”

It is a shame that not all can confidently pursue items of interest. Our world inherently favors the pursuit of some subjects more than others. However, that does not mean that the world forces subjects of boredom upon its residences. Interest develop through experience and exposure. Although Clark might not be as interested in dentistry as with history, there is still the possibility that he will find meaning in his endeavor.

There is much importance in exploring with the world has to offer. Without completing in her first race, Saxena might not have fallen in love with horseback riding. Without exposure to dentistry, Clark does not know if it will be an interesting profession. One’s exploration of the world does not have be one of solitude either. The world is a much colorful place when others are around.

Junior Parker Brown participates in many sports. Brown says, “Lots of my friends are doing lacrosse and wrestling, so I decided to do them too. The team camaraderie makes the experience really enjoyable for me and participating in sports is better than staying at home.” Brown stated that although he might not be good enough to go pro in the future, he still finds value in the activities that he is participating in. Brown notes that sometimes it is not the activity that motivates him to continue. Instead, the people involved in the activities motives him to come back. Brown says, “Wrestling is a lot different in high school, a lot tougher, but the coaches are there, not to bring you down, but to bring you up.”

“To realize one’s destiny is a person’s only obligation,” a seemingly paradoxical quote from the bestselling book, the Alchemist. Yet, one can find much comfort in the simplicity of one’s obligation. It is not to be the best at one thing. It is not even to stick with one thing at all. As we learn more about the world and ourselves, we might discover value in things that might have been arbitrary before. We will meet new mentors who can guide us, friends who can grow besides us and rivals that can bring out the best in us. There is no certainty in the future, no absolutes to limit us. No one knows where the paths of life will lead `til the time has passed.