When I Consider How My Light is Spent: A Poem to Catalyze and Existential Crisis

For our poetry presentations, I had one major thought about John Milton's "When I consider how my light is spent" that I didn't feel really fit with my presentation, so I thought I would share it here instead. This poem seriously forced me to critically analyze what I choose to spend my time on.

It doesn't really feel like an existential decision when I end up watching Netflix instead of studying, or sleeping instead of spending time with my family. But every little does more than spend that specific chunk of time; it also contributes to forming habits.

It's as if my life is happening on accident, and I'm sure most college students, and maybe even most people feel the same way. In some ways, it's easier like this, because when life doesn't feel like a result of your own choices, you can blame someone else for the outcome.

I feel compelled by this poem to consider where I choose to spend my time and my "light," and hopefully make some changes for the better.