When did you first realize what you wanted to do as a vocation?

Question

Graham Greene wrote this: "There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets in the future."
One of my favorite authors says that as we look back on our lives we can put frames around the things that brought joy and gladness. These are windows to our soul, showing us something about who we are and what we will be doing with our life; where our life is calling us.
My "window" came in 3rd grade. My teacher, Miss Kennedy, would sit on the bench and read aloud during part of recess for any who cared to listen. I used to snuggle up right next to her. She was nurturing and kind. I can still see her face and hear her voice. She read "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." I was captivated and my love for good stories was born. I became a teacher and my favorite activity has always been sharing good books with my students.
What about you? Can you look back and see any windows? When did you know what you wanted to do?

Answer 1

I was in grade school when I got a tiny tears doll for Christmas.She came with instructions for child care and a beautiful pint size pram. Parenthood was locked into my brain. I have 4grown children and over the years I have fostered many. I to went into teaching in latter years.

Answer 2

I have given up on ever realizing what I want to be when I grow up. I have become a 35 year old father with a stable well paying job. I can live with that.

Answer 3

We seem to have a lot in common Ms. katy. I am a teacher.....living in Tennessee. I come from a long line of teachers. Both grandmothers, my mother....and my college professor father. I was bound and determined NOT to be a teacher. I suppose no matter how good a kid we are, there is always a little flash of rebellion mixed in there as well. I just never wanted to be the kid that "followed the crowd."

So as my high school guidance counselor saw that I had a strong math background, he said, "You should go into accounting." Being a naive 17 year old that didn't have a clue what to do with my life at the time, I said, "OK." <------*picture very ditzy dingy blonde voice*

But as my friends can attest to, I'm anything but accountant material. Don't get me wrong. It's a valued profession. I'm just not the "sit at the desk and crunch numbers" type. I'm a doer. I'm active. I have way too much to say and I don't think that the little numbers in red and black were going to want to listen to me too much.

So I spent two years in accounting merely because I hated to think of where I would be if I didn't stick it out. But I knew I was miserable. I begged my parents......yes my "teacher" parents..... to tell me what to do. My mom would just say, "You will know. Trust me......one day you will just know." I couldn't for the life of me figure out how she thought I would just "know." Was some text book going to fall from the sky saying. "BIOLOGY" and I would decide to become a doctor? *sigh* So I dug in and kept taking classes.

I tried my hand in the college of "communication." I figured.....hey, I like to communicate. *cough* I mean....I'm a big talker, doer kinda person. Maybe this is for me. So I took advertising courses, Public Relations courses.....yada yada yada. I kept wondering if this was how Darren Stevens got started. It was sad when my only frame of reference for "advertising" came from "Bewitched." I kept picturing Larry Tate coming up to me and yelling at me to meet my deadline. I knew at that moment.......this wasn't for me.

*Enter Parents......yet again*

And no.....even with all of my begging and crying and pleading, they would not advise me beyond "going with my gut."

I slept on it.....i dreamed about it.....I wrestled with this life decision as I have no other. Then one morning, I literally woke up in more ways than one. I called my mom and said, "Do you enjoy teaching as much as you seem to?" WOW.......she could have talked for hours. And she did. Oh........boy........did she!

After I graduated college two years later I immediately was offered a job teaching middle school English. I had a successfull year and was then offered a full contract for the next year as well. I went home one weekend and my mom hugged me so tightly. She pulled back and looked me square in the eyes. She asked me if I was happy. I just beamed. I mean........I felt like was on the top of the world. Independent kid on her own with the best job in the whole wide world! She then said, "How often I wanted to tell you that you were born to be a teacher. But I couldn't. You had to figure that one out for yourself. How many nights I worried and worried that you might never see that side of yourself and go on to do something which I knew would never bring you joy. But then I knew you were born to teach.......and that gave me the confidence that you would figure this one out before time ran out. And you did. I couldn't be more proud of you."

So here I am 20 years later. Wow.....have I really been teaching that long??? I'm still supposed to be a kid!! And I feel like I'm still starting new. Sometimes that "window" is a bit foggy. But once you take the time to wipe it clear.......you find the answer. Having the courage to open that window and climb through can bring you to a place that has been waiting for you with open arms. I'm so glad I found my window. :)