The Big Question

*In times of great struggle or suffering, what remains as an individual's saving grace?
*Do individuals strive for their dreams or settle for what they think they can viably acheive?
I have chosen these two questions because I know how they apply to my own life, but I am curious as to how they apply to other people's lives and to characters in literature. For myself, in times of great struggle or suffereing Christ is my saving grace, but for others, friends, family, school, sports etc. keep them going strong. I am wondering what the most common theme is that individuals turn to for help in a time of need. Also, during my senior year I have began to think about what I want to do with the rest of my life, what I want to study, what kind of career I wish to have etc. This has brought up my second question: Do individuals strive for their dreams or settle for what they think they can viably acheive? I wonder this because I would love to have a career in medicine but am unsure if I will gain entrance into med school or succeed in that field. Many of my peers also have high goals, but are considering settling for something that is more achievable. I wonder what makes us do this and what one must accomplish or realize in order to reach their goal, or even decide to start on the journey towards it.