When I Grow Up
Several weeks ago, I was having a discussion with our 5 kids about what they wanted to be when they grow up. You know, the customary “Stay in school, pursue your dreams” “Yes, you must go to university NO MATTER WHAT, even if you are interested in auto mechanics” talk. Three out of 5 of my kids are interested in sports; football, volleyball, soccer in which case we have encouraged them to play their best so that they can get a scholarship so that they can pursue their “grown-up” dreams. You can’t be a NFL player forever! You’re pretty much washed up at 35 unless of course you are Brett Favre.
The other two of my children, ages 5 and 7, decided that they wanted to be gardening girls and rock stars. At their young ages, we’ve still got time to reprogram.
It was in the midst of this conversation where my youngest daughter piped up while eating her peanut butter sandwich, “When you grow up, mom, you should be a lunch lady.”
A lunch lady, huh? I thought to myself. Being a lunch lady was never part of my dreams. My dreams had included, fame and fortune. Not salami sandwiches. I had wanted to be an artist, a rock star (that’s probably where they get it from), my name in lights. But here I was standing behind the counter spreading peanut butter on crackers, cutting up apple pieces and wondering to myself what had happened to my life. Where had the dreams gone?
Then I realized something profound. I knew myself better now than I’d ever known myself before. I didn’t need fame to make me feel important, I had 5 kids clamouring at me every day who would never let me forget how important I am to them (or at least their feeding schedule). Rock star? It’s a crazy concert of voices around here every day after school with all the “Hey Mom’s”, “Did you hear..?”, “I didn’t do it, I don’t know why I’m in trouble for it.” I wouldn’t trade it for a moment. And to top it all off, only 5 kids in this whole world get to call me “Mom”. I’d say that was more special than having my name plastered on every billboard in Canada.
And the most amazing part is this, I’ve got new dreams; dreams that have their priorities straight, dreams that include those around me, dreams that are more selfless and less selfish, dreams that inspire others, dreams that change the world and leave it a better place. You can’t put fame and fortune in those categories now can you. The lunch lady position is looking just fine.
