At my age, I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up. Probably because I have not resolved to grow up. My sister grew up and became a school teacher. She always wanted to be a teacher, according to our mom. When she was a little girl, she would line up her dolls like students in a classroom and teach them whatever it is little girls teach their dolls. She knew. She had a vision, a desire.
I think I should have been an actor. This would have given me the opportunity to be all the things I have always wanted to be. Or just play them on TV. Or audition to play them on TV between shifts as a short-order cook at Mel's Diner.
I wanted to be a writer. This is something I discovered around age 21. I became a father at a young age and I realized I needed to provide for my kids, rather than pursue dreams. Of course, I did some of both and the practical eventually won out. Maybe I did grow up.
In some ways, I am a cautionary tale. Kids should pursue their dreams while they are kid. Too often they get confused and wind up chasing adulthood. This is what happened to me. Don't let it happen to your kids. Talk to them about the importance of being where they are when they are there. Remind them that once they are adults, they can't go back, and unlike their X-Box, there's no reset button or do-over in real life.
Lessons:
Live in the moment.
Don't be in a hurry to grow up. Better yet - don't grow up at all.
Determine your dream and follow it relentlessly.
- Adolfo
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