What did you want to be when you were younger?

What did you want to be when you were younger?

In her memoir, Becoming, Michelle Obama talks about how she detests the question we so often ask young children, "What do you want to be when you grow up," as if a person can only be locked into one identity or profession their whole lives rather than growing and evolving.  This is something  I had never really thought about before.  I wonder if asking children about their current interests or what they believe their talents are at the present time might be more beneficial to them. 

When I was small I played a lot of imaginary games and I am an only child so I could spend hours playing house with my baby dolls or school in my bedroom using only homework sheets.  Sometimes I would pretend I was a pioneer woman, a la, Little House on the Prairie, after my favorite books and television show. 

My best friend and I also pretended for several years as older elementary aged students, that we ran a successful business called LKT Fashions, where we designed all kinds of clothes and sold them to stores for millions of dollars every day.  It was so much fun, some of my favorite memories playing in our "office" at Grandma Pearlie's house. 

I also loved history growing up so I enjoyed visiting historical sites and museums with my best friend.  Our parents were great to take us all over the place, especially since Virginia is full of so much historical significance.  So for quite some time I believed I would grow up to attend William and Mary and work as one of the people in colonial dress in Colonial Williamsburg while I was in school. 

Writing was always a huge part of my identity.  I started writing short stories and poetry around second grade.  I participated in The Young Author's Contest all through elementary school.  I took creative writing and extra English classes whenever they were available in high school.  I spent many afternoons as a teen writing poetry.  As I began to seriously consider colleges, I knew I wanted to study English and Creative Writing and Hollins University was the obvious choice.  I had dreams of becoming famous and being featured in Oprah's book club. 

Obviously that has not happened, yet.  But I did end up being called into a vocation where I do write creatively a lot.  But, instead of poems, it is liturgy and prayers.   And instead of short stories or novels, they are sermons. 

I still love history.  I still love reading. I still love clothes.  I still love teaching.  I still love playing house.  I still love writing.