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I’m no where near where I thought I would be when I was a child.  I’m not even anywhere near where I thought I would be ten years ago.  I’m good compared to where I was two years ago at this time but I wish I was much further along.

Well, I can tell you one thing--Liz looks terrific in a beret!

I am so not doing what I thought I would be doing when I was a child. 

I am not doing what I thought I would be doing ten years ago (and not as far along in writing).

But life is more interesting.

I think she hit it on the mark!

I have dreamed of doing many things that always seem not quite realistic. Not that your dreams are always realistic, to me thats why they call them dreams. I will be thirty soon and my life mainly consists of being a mom and wife. Strangely enough I am “dreaming” of writing a book. I have had several people suggest it to me even before I told anyone about my idea?! Honestly I am scared, I don’t have the slightest idea of how or where to start. My literary and writing expertise extend only through high school. And I never naturally as a child or adult rewrite stories or characters. I am going to attempt to make my dream become a reality but I might keep my dream come true, my own little secret.

I had three dreams when I was a kid - to be a writer, to be a teacher, and to be a fighter pilot. My parents managed to talk me out of all three by the time I was getting ready to start college, and I spent the next 10 years of my life wandering from job to job, doing a bunch of interesting things but nothing that sparked excitement. Nothing that made me want to get up in the morning, really.

It took me 10 years and a very supportive husband before I was able to put aside all the hurtful, negative comments about the worth of my dreams and start to seriously pursue my passions. Well, except for the fighter-pilot one. And even though I’m not there yet, I love being a technical writer, I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent teaching, and I can’t wait to make that transition to published author.

Life is so much better when you are honouring your talents and your passions.

This topic requires me to go back to the age of twleve. I believe I told everyone that I was going to be a Mad Scientist and create mutant beings.  To me that sounded fun and exciting.

How I ended up a data guru for a very large hospital system is beyond me.  The path here doesn’t even seem like reality, but here I am.

Life has been fun, exciting, full of joy and wonder, but there’s been a fair share of hurt, sadness, and lonliness too.  I don’t think anyone gets thru without the full mixture.

What do I want to be when I grow up?  haven’t a clue, I just take each day and if something new sounds exciting, I switch gears.  I’m one of those with no set path in life.

Yes, Terri guessed it.  This is my new pub photo.  I decided to grow out my bangs again.  Think I got them too long? 

Jodie, we all started out in the same place as you, not quite sure what we were doing with regard to writing a book.  And I hate to tell you this, but that part never changes. 

You know, Andi, I grew up in a home, too, that didn’t exactly relish creative endeavors, but I went the creative route anyway.  Interestingly, my son and all of my nieces are wildly creative kids, and I can see each of them pursuing some kind of creative career, be it writing, painting or acting.  I think creativity must be rampant in my DNA, but no one in my family was ever given the proper encouragement to follow it.

Well, Prudence, there are those who think that simply by giving birth, some of us have created mutant beings…

ROFL....Oh Liz, that’s very good!!!

My dreams were very nebulous (involving things like Nobel Prizes).  Needless to say, those haven’t happened.  But the rest of it?  I could never have imagined.

Sometimes I can really get a sense of having achieved something most clearly by imagining myself at age fourteen, living on a farm outside a town of 2000.  I honestly think that the best measure is where we started--to where we are.

Andi, it sounds like atriumph that you were able to find a supportive husband—too often people reproduce critical environments.  That’s a huge achievement!! 

Am I making any sense here? Probably not. Unfortunately, I have to go teach..

Eloisa

I always knew that I would teach. I really do think it is what I was born to do. But as I sit here staring semi-retirement in the face (five weeks to go) and grateful for the rewards of thirty-eight years in the classroom, I look forward to realizing other dreams. I once dreamed of traveling to places far beyond my Southern home, and I once dreamed of writing books. Those dreams are still alive. I hope to have time now to travel and to complete some of those partial mss I have lying around. When I get to the point that I have nothing left to dream about, I hope I will move on to the next life.

Content is the word I would use to describe how I feel about my life.  I know that sounds really boring, but I have known so many people who lived DRAMA filled lives and they don’t seem very happy.

I like where I live, I like my job, I am married to the most wonderful man who though not perfect is perfect for me, and I don’t worry every month about how we are going to pay the bills.

No one dreams about growing up to be a librarian, but I did have the goal of being able to support myself and that I can do.

If I met a Genie in a bottle I would wish that I could sing. I don’t have visions of Carnegie Hall, but being able to carry a tune would be a dream come true.  As it is now, as they say, I can’t carry a tune in a bucket.

When I was in grade school, we once made little badges on which we were supposed to write what we wanted to be.  Everyone else wrote “teacher”, “Doctor” “hockey player”, etc.  I wrote “I want to be a bird.”

Strangely, I’ve made very little progress on that front.  Though I still love to fly.

When I was in high school, my mother (a widow made practical by necessity) asked in exasperation, “What do you want to do?” And I said, “I want a job where I can sleep in in the mornings.”

Speak your word.

As a child, I wanted to be a mountie - not because I’m interested in law enforcement, but because they rode horses.  I also wanted to be a vet, because they worked with animals.

I am neither a mountie or a vet (I worked for one and found it rather boring), but I work in agricultural research on livestock pests and parasites.  I own, train and occasionally breed dogs.  I find that while the destination is what I planned, nor did I take the “fork in the road” that would have gotten me there, I am pleased where I ended up.  I am the only one in my family to end up in science, and I love it.  The dogs are the culmination of a lifelong dream - that happened to get me through rough times in university.  I would paste photos of dogs (any breed) all over my bulletin board, and repeat to myself during finals and midterms - when this is over, I’m getting one of those!!  So I got carried away and have three - I wouldn’t change much in my life at any point - because that is what got me where I am today.

"find that while the destination is what I planned”

Okay that should read that “while the destination is not what I had planned”.....

I always saw myself as a career-driven single person, and, as Eloisa said, nebulously doing something significant.  I never imagined myself as entrenched in family life, husband and kids, as I am.  It’s very good.  Most days.

Eloisa - you made perfect sense.  I totally get surrounding yourself with what I call “emotionally safe” people.  And I’m pretty much with Avery on the being content thing.

When I was younger I was surrounded by emotionally unsafe people and I was anything but content.  My husband asked me before we got married what my goals were.  You know ... job, adventures, accomplishments.  I said that I wanted a happy healthy relationship and happy healthy kids.  So far [with fingers crossed], I’ve got both!

Doesn’t mean I don’t still yearn to do others things like travel, but it does mean that I know I’m blessed because I wound up in place (emotionally) I never imagined I’d be when I was younger.  Come to think of it I’m also in a place physically I’d never thought I’d be - a great house, great neighborhood, etc.  I guess what they say is true… follow your heart and do what you love and everything else will follow.

I never thought I would be where I am now.  I knew I would go to college but going for accounting???  Yeah right!  When I was young I never really wanted to do anything in particular and I’m still like that now.  I picked accounting because I needed to have a major and I liked math a lot.  I guess it’s a good thing that I like it. 

It’s hard for me to look forward to the future because I am a last minute planner.  The future is so uncertain that I hate to go through all the trouble of planning.  Most likely I’ll have to change my plans anyway.

So when you ask what are my dreams or what do I want to be my answer is just to be happy and content with my life.  Right now, I can say that I am just that.

Liz, what a nice post!
I love reading everyone’s comments, we all have such varied lives, and yet come together here because of reading! I’d say, Avery, that librarians rock! I get excited going to the library, all those books, all that potential! Ok, I’m a geek, sometimes!

-I’d definitely say ‘grateful’ for my word. I too have a stable home life, and am able to do the job I love. Kids, husband… some days I can’t believe I’m 42! I still think I’m that dorky kid in High School, waiting for life to happen. Does anyone really know what path they will go? Thank goodness, not!

I NEVER imagined I would be where I am today and looking back on it, I honestly can’t believe it.

But the best part is that I think there is still more to come!

I always knew I wanted to be a nurse - I honestly can’t remember ever being anything else.  But, really I had no idea what a nurse does besides what I read in Cherry Ames and watched on Emergency! and MASH. 

I struggled in nursing school - I didn’t know it at the time but I was battling what was probably clinical social anxiety disorder (I thought I was just really shy).  It was then I first doubted if nursing was for me.  I had never struggled with what I wanted to do with my life before and it was a tough time for me. 

But I made it through, after some rough times, and I am a nurse.  But I never saw myself where I am now.  I always pictured myself working in a hospital - indeed, I didn’t know there were nurses who worked outside of hospitals and doctors’ offices.  Now I work in public health where I’m underpaid and underappreciated but I still like it.  And I have no desire to work in a hospital.  This is much more interesting.

My Childhood Dream Job:  Vegas Show Girl or Country Western Singer.  (I can’t dance or sing my way out of a paper bag, so these dreams have been shucked.)

Word to Describe Current Life Incarnation:  Amish

Current Dreams:  I dream of being published and having bookshelves that reach the ceiling and have hideaway nooks with big pillows....  I’d also like to be a mommy someday (Gosh, I better get cracking on that little pipe dream...)

I, too, dreamed of being a fighter pilot-for a very short time. I was informed that females couldn’t be fighter pilots, and *poof*, dream gone. Of course, when I hit college, the ban was lifted on female pilots, so I learned a valuable lesson that I try to teach my kids-never say never, and never let someone tell you you can’t be something you want to be.

So instead of being one, I married one, haha! Not a fighter pilot, but he’s special ops, which is over-the-top anyway. He duped me. I had no idea he was military when he made me love him. Sigh. Those sneak spec-ops guys, gotta love ‘em! I never, never thought I’d be a military wife when I was growing up.

And now I’m following my dream of being a writer while still following him around the world, dragging three kids, a dog, two cats, and our lives behind me! Here’s to dreaming big! (Holding up very large margarita glass, filled to it’s frosty, salt-coated rim)

Oh, and a word to describe my current life?

Exciting

or Stressful.

They’re interchangable, right?

What a bunch of great posts!  What a bunch of great people!  We really are an interesting, varied bunch.

Ms. Mary, that “waiting for life to happen” comment really hit home.  So often, I feel like I’m still preparing, then I have to remind myself that, no, this is the main event, and I better enjoy it. 

Um, Ms. Hellion, don’t you know it’s bad to use the words “crack” and “pipe” in the same sentence?

Ok...so as I was pondering your questions only one word came to mind to describe my life currently..."Detour" I’m nowhere near where I wanted to be when I was a kid...well, a teenager anyway.  I thought for sure I’d have at least one degree (in what I don’t know) and have at least one novel finished.  I have no degree, but am seriously thinking about getting started on it when my hubby gets back from his deployment.  I also don’t have any finished novels of my own, but I do have about 10 good starters and random scenes.  But I am still dreaming...my dream is to by day work in an office where there is no phone that I have to answer and I can just input data all day, and by night I’d love to just write.  But since I think all office jobs automatically come with a phone that must be answered I’m SOL.  So I’ll just have to work on the writing dream

Liz,
Thanks for asking.  This gives me something to think about.  I would not have imagined myself where I am at this moment. I wanted to be many things but the most important was to be a mom like the one I have.  I think I am a pretty good mom.  I know that as I get older my mom has gotten more interesting.  I have discovered much about her life before marriage and kids.  It gives me a sense of where my wanderlust comes from.  I still have dreams pending, but I am working hard to enjoy my life moment by moment.  Something God has been working hard to teach me these past months.  I continue to struggle to find time for my writing but it is something that I am determined to figure out.

My sister and I were just discussing this topic today.

When I was a VERY little girl, I wanted to be a nurse, just like my mommy, but as soon as I learned to read write, I *knew* that someday I would be a published author. I’m working diligently on that.

I’d describe my life as being in a constant state of flux...just when I think it’s settled down, there’s a burp in the cosmos and things change. LOL! And my verification word is “peace"--how ironic is that???

I read this post when I woke up this morning before I went to the gym.  I was stumped as to what word I would use to describe my life.  Am I where I thought I was going to be 10, 20, 30 years ago.  No.

I was supposed to be a psychologist, single, living in NYC with an office on 95th Street and Columbus Avenue.

I never thought I’d be married with three children to a man who is the best of men.  I pursued that dream for a while and I may get back to that dream and complete it.

Today, I am following a new dream.  I am writing and I am loving and hating it.  I am creating beautiful scenes that astonish me as I can only imagine an artist feels when the image comes to life before them.  I am writing nothing that anyone in their right mind would want to read.  I am both inflated and deflated.  I am lackluster and I am vibrant.  I am enboldened and I am scared half out of my wits.

My word: ALIVE

Santa, that’s the most perfect decription of the writing process I’ve ever read. Hills, valleys, then more hills.

Liz, that’s an incredible thought—interesting. So much is in that word.

From a very young age, I wanted to be a lawyer. Tough. Successful. Single. Living in New York or Boston. And loving it. Then, when I turned 30, maybe marrying an equally successful man and having one child. Maybe.

Instead I got married while still in college, before any of my friends. Had my first child while still in college. And nothing kept to the path after that.

Now, I’ve found I have two loves—writing and teaching. Both are less aggressive and more nuturing than my earlier ‘dream career’ and I couldn’t be happier. It’s also nice that I can sometimes do both (I pick up an occassional Am Govt class at the local university to stay fresh).

Sometimes, you just go where life’s currents take you, and just enjoy it. As you said, perhaps the very best thing we can have is ‘interesting.’

Great post, Liz!

What a wonderful post.  Thank you.

My life is “interesting,” definitely.

Hope you are well.