I always thought I would move to New York after graduation, but

Hear, O seeker of courage, the thoughtful and humble words of Rory O’Malley, spoken with the sincerity of a traveler standing at the crossroads of youth: “I always thought I would move to New York after graduation, but, instead, I moved to Los Angeles. I realized I was more scared of that choice than I was of New York, and I thought, at 22, I should get it over with.” Though simple in tone, these words hold a fire that burns deep within the human heart — the eternal struggle between comfort and courage, between the familiar dream and the terrifying unknown.

The meaning of this reflection lies in the sacred moment when fear becomes a compass rather than a chain. O’Malley, a celebrated actor and singer, speaks not merely of a change in geography but of a shift in destiny. To choose Los Angeles over New York was not about preference — it was about facing the direction that frightened him most, for he understood, even at the age of 22, that growth is born not in ease but in discomfort. His words echo an ancient truth: that the path we most resist is often the one that leads us to our becoming. The wise do not flee from fear — they walk toward it, for beyond its gates lies freedom.

The origin of this moment comes from the real journey of Rory O’Malley, who after his graduation from Carnegie Mellon University, stood before the vast uncertainty of early adulthood. Like many dreamers in the performing arts, he had envisioned the dazzling lights of New York, the city of stages and symphonies, of Broadway and ambition. Yet destiny whispered another name — Los Angeles, the city of the sun, the screen, and the unknown. It was a place that frightened him, for it did not fit the script he had written for himself. But rather than retreat, he chose to confront his fear, to “get it over with.” In that act, he stepped into the deeper wisdom of life — that one must sometimes abandon the dream we planned to embrace the one that truly belongs to us.

Consider, O reader, the story of Alexander the Great, who, upon reaching the edges of the known world, wept not for the lands he had conquered but for the ones he had not dared to explore. Every man and woman faces such a horizon — the place where the familiar ends and the frightening begins. Some turn back, seeking safety in the known; others, like O’Malley, take the step forward, trembling yet resolute. It is in that step that greatness begins. To be young and afraid is no tragedy — to be old and unchanged, that is. The choice he made, then, was not between cities but between comfort and courage, between living by fear or by faith.

In O’Malley’s reflection, there is a quiet lesson about the nature of youth and the seasons of daring. At 22, he understood what many never do — that fear is not an enemy but a teacher. It is the signpost pointing toward the place of greatest growth. The one who avoids fear remains forever small; the one who faces it learns to live greatly. His decision to “get it over with” is not an act of impatience, but of wisdom — for the sooner one learns to face fear, the freer one’s life becomes. Those who postpone the hard choices find themselves bound by the same anxieties years later, still haunted by the roads not taken.

The lesson, then, is simple yet profound: do not run from what frightens you; run toward it. For fear is not the wall it appears to be — it is the veil between who you are and who you are meant to become. When a young person stands at the moment of graduation, they stand not merely at the end of education but at the threshold of self-discovery. Life will not ask, “What are you ready for?” but “What will you choose despite your fear?” Let your choices, like O’Malley’s, be guided not by safety, but by the pursuit of courage.

So take this, O listener, as a call to your own heart: wherever fear arises, let that be your signal. If there is a path you have long avoided because it unsettles your spirit, that is the very road that will lead you to transformation. Step forward, as Rory O’Malley did, not with the arrogance of certainty but with the humility of bravery. For those who face their fear early learn the greatest secret of all — that fear loses its power the moment you walk through it. And when you do, you will look back and smile, knowing that the choice you once dreaded became the doorway to your destiny.