Driving home from the movies today, J asked me “Mom, do you know what I want to be when I grow up?” She has always, always, always been uber focused on the long term--always wanting to know how old she will be when…? She has this innate sense of the person she is to become and whimsically plans the details of her life with an extremely refined carefulness. So, as a mom – her mom, I was more prepared than ever and merrily recited the list of occupations and aspirations she has so proudly proclaimed throughout her life (her entire 6 and ¾ years, that is.) A list that I have been accumulating in my head of both realistic and down-right far-fetched life expectancies while throwing in a few aspirations I have for her of my own. After all, why can’t she be the President of the United States or the scientist that finds the cure for cancer?
Having children has opened my eyes to the endless possibilities that lie in each of us. I look at each of my children and think "You could be anything! You can do absolutely anything you want to do!" Their potential is amazing. Constantly astounding.
And not only theirs. Yours. Mine, too. I think as individuals (me, anyways) we sometimes pigeonhole ourselves. "Oh, I don't do that." or "I could never do that." or "Not me." Well, actually, not so! That same childlike potential lies in all of us.
So how do we cultivate the aspirations in our lives, our children’s lives?
The key is believing. Believing that we CAN do it, that they can do it. Believing that we WANT to do it, they ALWAYS want to do it. And of course, working hard to DO it.
And. The working hard part isn’t even the hard part. It’s the "thinking you can do things," the believing in yourself that gets tough. So, believe! You can do it! I know you can! You can do anything!
I've actually thought about this a lot and usually my answer is, "I'm too old to do that now." However, I've been telling myself that for a really, REALLY, long time and I've only gotten older. So maybe, if I done it when I very first started believing I was too old, it would have actually been possible. But now, all I can do is remind myself that I am doing just what I am supposed to do and 'that' doesn't really matter anymore. Even if I am still 'too old' for it. ;)
ReplyDeleteI know this sounds a little cheesy, but the only thing that I've ever been sure that I wanted to do was to be a mother. I've questioned everything else in my life and I've wandered between artist or teacher or nurse or garbage woman. The one thing that I've always been 100% sure of is wanting to be a mommy. Even as a young girl it seemed like the most amazing adventure. As I got a little older and learned more about the world the more I wanted to share it with somebody. I loved the idea of sharing the wonders of life with a fresh, blank mind. What is the one job that you can be everything? A teacher, an artist, a garbage woman, a nurse, a chef, a tour guide, a theologist, etc. As mothers we have more opportunities than we think ;)
ReplyDeleteIt is because of these very things you posted about that I finally made up my mind to go back to school. I want to be an example for my kids that education is important, and that I can do anything I set my mind to, and so can they.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome, Kary. Way to go!!
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