Chapter 22 - The Boy with the Hat
“I advise you to sail away in one of your ships, and never come home again ’till you have tried your own way,” said Jo, whose imagination was fired by the thought of such a daring exploit …
—Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
I found this quote in the Pretend I'm Dead book I was reading, and to this day the idea of the lotus-eaters stays with me. I felt like my entire period in college I became completely disconnected from myself and meaning and fell deep into substance use. As I found this quote, I decided that my purpose and integrity must always be my guiding force as I never want to become a lotus-eater again. I have a lotus flower tattoo on my back to remind me of this story and to never let me stray from my purpose.