As you grow...

I've had a lot on my mind lately, and I want to share something with you:

When I was a child I was asked every so often what I wanted to be when I grew up. People wanted to know; what career path did I want to follow once I was done with school, or what did I want to study to become when I went to college?

There wasn't anything I was especially interested in doing. I didn't want to be a nurse, flight attendant, secretary, or veterinarian. I never really had an answer to that question.

After high school I decided to study to become a teacher. The pay was decent and I liked to share knowledge, so it seemed to be a good fit. While I took my college courses I worked in the public school system. I found out that teaching wasn't what I thought it would be, and decided not to become a teacher after all. Following that decision I worked for a local government office, a real estate research firm, a loan servicing company, and a medical billing office.

After that, of course, my working days came to a halt so that I could be home to raise you.

Sometimes I wonder what others think of me having never finished a four year college degree or starting a "real" career before becoming a stay at home mom. I wonder if they find me to lack ambition or direction, or if they think I wasn't capable of doing more. However, I recently came to a realization...

When I grow old and die, I don't want to be remembered for what I did to earn money. I want to be remembered for who I was and what I did for other people. I want to be remembered for being kind, generous, accepting, loving, supportive, and helpful. These traits are far more important to me than a title or degree, and I can only hope that I can instill that same belief in you.

Remember son... people may not remember what you do, but they will remember how you made them feel. So above all... whatever your pursuits in life are...

Be kind and generous. Love and accept people for who they are (and remember that diversity is a beautiful thing.) Lend a hand and cheer people on when they need it. Be good to those around you, and you will find them being good to you. Happiness will always be worth more than money. Seek what makes you happy, and I promise you'll find your success.