When I Grow Up...

It's the question we all seem to struggle with at some point in our lives: "What am I going to do when I grow up?" It's a heavy question. First of all, when are we "grown up"? And second, what exactly do we mean by "going to do"? Are we talking about a job? A career? An ultimate life dream?

I've struggled with this question a lot throughout the past few years. I've dabbled in teaching, writing, art, and Spanish. I've even worked in sales (which was a huge disaster). I'm a 24-year-old with a Bachelor's degree in Art and Spanish and I still don't really know what I want to do when I "grow up".

Which is kind of scary considering I'm engaged to be married.

How about this: I want to write about my interests; I want to travel and share those experiences with others; I want to educate people about eating disorders and mental illness; I want to share the goodness and power of God. Does that job exist? (I'm still waiting for an answer to that one!)

Isn't it about time we focused more on just being us, and not what the norms of this society tell us to be? Somewhere along the line we've decided that there is one ideal path: get a good job, make a lot of money, start a family, be awesome. Oh, and not to mention the other goals, such as have a perfect body, be happy all the time, own the latest technology, have a car, be the boss of your own life, pat yourself on the back for being so awesome.

Hmm, call me a rebel, but I'll pass. Don't get me wrong, I have goals. Plenty of goals. And there are people who really do want to become bosses and have a great family and finally get their dream car. And that's totally okay. I'm just fine with going at my own pace, and in a world where it seems as though everyone is racing to surpass everyone else, that's a bit intimidating. I've blogged before about how I feel behind my peers and former classmates. Yet I've realized that this is okay.

Everyone's path is different. That's the cool thing...we're all given this life and different talents and capabilities and our paths intertwine and we learn from each other and we teach other and most of all we love and support each other. Or at least, I like to think that we do.

So, what do I want to be when I grow up? I want to be Kaitlin; the best Kaitlin that I can be. Loving, kind, creative, funny, poetic, silly, adventurous, intelligent, dreamy, faithful, supportive, loyal, trusting, vulnerable, forgiving, open, curious, healthy.

What do you want to be when you grow up?