What To Be When You Grow Up

When your kids are little and everyone asks the oh-so-original question, "What do you want to be when you grow up Hannah?" Don't you just want to smack that person?

Me, too.

How are kids supposed to "know" what they want to "be" when they grow up?

How is anyone supposed to "know"? And isn't the purpose of our cluttering up the earth (sorry, "contributing" to the welfare of our planet) to discover our own path?

And what if, say, middle age comes, (I'm just sayin') and perhaps you have opted for a life-changing course of personal direction? My point is, and I do have one somewhere, is that we ALL struggle to discover our true calling, our passion, or as one of my fave writer's put it, our "bliss."

And it's no simple task.

For example, my own midlife (yes, I admit it) crisis has been playing out all around me this past year. It involved the major stressors that are known to lead to depression, you know the usual: a job exit, a move across country, loss of significant income, LOUSY INSURANCE COVERAGE, death of a parent, and so on.

As I contemplate the majestic mountains of Tucson's foothills, my quest has been aided and abetted by my kids' personal journeys. And these "kids" are grown-ups dealing with their own stuff.

My husband and I did the young-parenting dance and even survived two (count-'em-two) kids in college at the same time. Now they're out of the nest, they both are still figuring out what they want to do when they grow up. And they've grown up! As have their parental units.

And still, we (Lew and I) search for Chapter Two in our lives. Looking for meaning. Looking for a purpose-driven life. Looking for connection and contributing something useful to this insane world of ours.

So when some well-meaning (but unoriginal) friend/relative/stranger poses that dumb, meaningless question to your 6-year-old as she tries to take apart an antique watch (maybe to learn how things work?) here's your chance to shine.

Jump in politely, with your child's permission, of course (we're teaching manners at the same time) and turn the tables. "What a clever question, sage friend/relative/stranger!" you might say, shocked at such an original brain-twister. Then look thoughtful, put your finger on your upper right cheek and say, "Hmm, how about YOU tell Hannah what YOU want to be when YOU grow up!" And then everyone has a good laugh, Hannah can finish her watch tinkering and you can mumble some insult under your breath as you smile and back away slowly, slowly from the inquisitor. 

No one knows what they want to "be" when they grow up. If nothing else, I've learned it's all in the BEING, the PROCESS of BEING, the JOURNEY of BEING, that helps us get through the night.

And sometimes a little Ambien.