The young do not know enough to be prudent, and so they attempt the impossible, and achieve it, generation after generation.

Born Pearl Comfort Sydenstricker, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Pearl S. Buck puts the audacity of youth in perspective. Youth, many people say, is wasted on the young. We elders may admire their energy and chutzpah, but we also decry (maybe even pity) their lack of knowledge and experience. Kids these days, am I right?

When you’re young, anything is possible. Ask little children what they want to be when they grow up. Firefighters, astronauts, presidents… yes, even YouTubers. But, as they get older, sometimes they get more practical. That’s what happened to me.

For most of my childhood, I wanted to be an architect. I drew up “blueprints” for my future mansion (do architects make that much?) as a kid and took drafting classes in high school. When it came time to choose a “career preparation program” in grade 11, I didn’t see anything that related to a career in architecture. So, I chose accounting. Because it’s practical and realistic.

As I approached university, I thought I was heading down the chartered accountant path. But, as life would have it, I saw (more than) two paths diverge in the wood, so to speak. Long story short, I’m a freelance writer, editor and blogger today, even though my parents thought it was “just a hobby” or some distraction early in my career. I guess I rekindled that audacity of youth. “I’ll show them,” I thought to myself.

In this way, and so many other ways, Pearl S. Buck was right. Everything is seemingly impossible until someone does it. If everyone simply did what was “possible,” sticking only to what was expected of them, society and innovation would stagnate. No one would take a chance. No one would cast prudence aside and dare to achieve bigger and better things.

Take a look around you. Simone Giertz made a Tesla pickup truck before Tesla did. Malala Yousafzai stood up to the Taliban and strives to change the world for young girls everywhere. Greta Thunberg is TIME’s Person of the Year for 2019. It’s perhaps no small coincidence that they’re all young women, too. I’m sure Pearl would be proud.

So, go ahead. Be audacious. Dare to dream, regardless of age. Because nothing is impossible.

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