When You Grow Up

All through childhood, you think you know what you want to be when you grow up

Then, you go to school and (often) learn things that are completely different from what you thought you’d be – a firefighter, an astronaut, a race car driver…or maybe a doctor (I never was allowed to consider being a nurse.)

As a daughter of a fire chief and a nurse – who might still become a doctor – I was a child of the moon landing and the space age (not quite old enough to be the space race thank you very much.) I was definitely going to be an astronaut. Ever since I can remember – that was my chosen profession. 

Later, in high school, it became my mission to obtain my degree in aerospace engineering. My profession had to change – I started wearing glasses when I was 10 and back then, you had to be a pilot in the Air Force first – perfect vision required.  Obviously as technology changed, so did this requirement, but still – I couldn’t fly, so maybe I’d get there as an engineer or understanding how to design rockets. 

Turns out, mechanical engineering was my worst tract of engineering classes! Instead, I excelled in design, architecture, systems and aesthetics – thank goodness I didn’t pursue Boston University and the “other” AE degree.  If I’d skipped Drexel, I’d never have met Mike, I wouldn’t live in the Philly burbs and I wouldn’t have my three amazing kids. Plus, like another engineer I know, I’d have had to put a warning label on every ship I designed “don’t fly this one to Mars – or else…

Never in a million years would I have believed a single soul, fortune teller or career counselor if they’d said – marketing and brand consultant. Never. Ever. 

Life doesn’t always turn out the way you planned and when you’re 6 or 7, your dreams are based on what you know. 

When you’re 26 or 27, your dreams sometimes become what you know how to do, rather than what you’d love to do.

When you’re 46 or even 47, your dreams can be what you need to do – but hopefully even if you’re creeping up on 66 or 67 – you can be what – and who – you want to be when you grow up. Luckily, we’re always growing and we don’t have to decide until are right where we want to be.

~ Dawn aka Hat Girl

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