When I Grow Up

"When I grow up, I want to be a _________"

Do you remember saying that? I do. The "What do you want to be when you grow up?" is a standard question asked in almost every school in America to children of every age. It is a question derived from the gospel of the American dream, based on the foundations of the country we live in - in America, you can be anything you want to be. It's a question that allows children to dream, and dream big.

Children's answers are, of course, varied but confident. From Astronauts to Doctors to Bee Keepers, Rock Stars and Moms, a child will be able to tell you very specifically, with a glimmer in his eye, what it is that he wants to do when he grows up, without doubt or hesitation. His answer may change over the years, of course, but it isn't that the beauty of it? You can be whatever you want to be, and good teachers, parents and mentors will encourage and inspire children to follow their dream.

So what happens when children "grow up"?

When I was 7 years old, I decided with confidence that when I grew up, I wanted to be a nurse who delivered babies. I held on to that dream for years and years, fascinated with the concept of bringing new life into the world. I would jump at the chance to hold any baby within a few feet of me, and took to nurturing animals in the absence of young-ins.

Am I a nurse now? Nope. Like a lot of kids, I matured and found a few things about the profession that I really didn't like. People mature, of course. They learn they are too nearsighted to be a pilot/astronaut, or have a deadly allergy to bees, or can't handle the sight of blood. They learn they are limited and move on.

They find new passions and interests as they grow. They develop priorities they are unwilling to sacrifice in the name of a potential career. They choose family over the 80-hour work week their original dream would have required, or health over a extreme stress-producing position.

Outside factors influence their dreams. They can't afford school, they find themselves in a situation where family comes first, or settle for a weekly paycheck to covers life's expenses. After all, health insurance beats no health insurance any day. I totally get that.

I'm just struck walking by the many government building in Sacramento by all the career paths and positions so foreign to childlike dreams. I've never heard a child say, "when I grow up, I want to fill in forms for such and so" or " when I grow up, I want to process purchase orders".

Does being grown up mean we lose the chance to dream and pursue those dreams to success?

Please understand, I'm not bashing any type of work. Many people who truly are happy where they are, working in less dramatic positions than "Astronaut" or "Rock Star". In fact, there are lots of people in those dramatic positions that wish they were doing something else. Ultimately, we need people in all positions of life, offices, cubicles and work spaces. There needs to be someone who does payroll, another who does human resources and yet another who files papers. There needs to be a customer service representative and a doctor and a trash man. Unless it's illegal, your work is noble. It lifts, nurtures and advances the human race. It feeds your family. It develops your skill set and character.

I just don't want to forget that childlike wonder and determination I felt when my career possibilities were endless. I don't want to forget that I can do anything I want when I grow up, and I am growing up every day. The American dream doesn't end for me when I have a mortgage and a couple of kids, or because I'm jobless in Sacramento and lacking the skill set I need to do what I truly want to do (become a nutritionist). To let my dreams and hopes for a grand career die slowly seems cruel. I live in a country that was founded on impossible dreams, a country that was established by people in the pursuit of something better.

This doesn't mean I will be resurrecting my original goal to be a nurse. I've since seen a birth, and I can tell you that I'm emotionally and physically ill-equipped to handle it. It's not about holding onto those careers I dreamed about as a kid, it's the fact that I can hope, dream and pursue to success whatever dream I have. I don't have to be stuck in a position in life that I don't like.

Sure, it takes hard work, sacrifice and priority-shifting. Anyone with a fulfilled dream will tell you it takes all of that and more. It's painful at times, boring at others, and a roller-coaster of despair, joy, sweat and tears. No one said it would be easy.

But it's possible.

When I grow up, I want to be a Registered Dietician. It will take a lot of hard work, time and investment, but it's possible. And it's worth it.

What do you want to be when you grow up?