You can be whatever you want to be when you grow up. That’s what they told us, right? Heck, the 1800’s and 1900’s were all about “The Great American Dream.” I actually wrote a paper on it for Gatsby. Twice. (High school and college. Yes, I double dipped.) Everything we know about the good ole US of A is bigger, better, bolder. We are highly overweight as a nation because of our excess. Yet, our markets tell us to be super thin and thus we have extreme underweight people with gym memberships and doctors that will turn your face into a trampoline to make you feel better about yourself because your third grade boyfriend dumped you for Shelly behind the swings at recess.
So here we are, grown up and growing up. Becoming everything we hoped and dreamed of. Wait. Uh, I think I missed a part. Where are my contracts and clothing lines? Where is my dream house? No, this can’t be! By golly, I wanted to be a stay at home mom and author with lots of money! Who left out the money?! I think that’s really what the issue is. Here’s my example: My brother is an amazing man of many talents. Trust me, I don’t blow smoke up people’s butts, and especially not his. This guy suffered with self esteem issues for a good portion of his life, though I’m not exactly sure why. Always a good looking guy. After high school he got some muscle. Smart. Too smart. Athletic. Musically inclined. A great cook. Thoughtful. A talented writer. A gifted carpenter/woodworker. And the list goes on. We grew up in the “You can be whatever your heart desires” era when we were in school. In our home, it was encouraged to be great. Average is ok, but greatness will get you farther. Our father pushed us into degrees and being useful in our callings because he didn’t want us to end up like him – swinging a hammer for 40+ years. So what did we do? We did our best to excel in high school. We went to college. We got degrees. Neither one of us are in the field of our degrees now that we are adults. But that’s ok. We can still be whatever we want to be – when we grow up. I find this to be a lie, particularly as I look at myself and my brother. I think there is nothing more that both my brother and I would like to do, than to live a life of being authors published to the people, adored, and loved. Well, we are both published authors. But it’s still missing something. I haven’t confirmed, but I bet my brother would love to travel the country, find a new spot every month, sit, and write. I for one, would love a large farm house with an office that inspires, and to travel, sit, and write. So what’s the problem? These things require money. Money in larger quantities than either of us have. Combined. This is a lifestyle that we just cannot afford. We cannot grow up to be what we want to be! America has lied to us! People immigrated to this country to find jobs, homes, and stability. They wanted to give their children better lives. We are still wanting this. Yet, America knew how to take advantage of it. The higher the degree, the higher the paycheck is what they tell you. The sooner to becoming rich. No. I tutored a young man (19) that made more money per year, while taking free classes, than my husband teaching for 10+ years. See, now it is more about what field you are in, versus what degree you have. I know this has turned into a sad sack complaint, but I truly don’t understand. Where is the reality in saying that we can be whatever we want to be? My brother offers talents unseen of by many men, and it seems fewer and fewer as the next generations arise. Yet, he and his wife work to take care of their family of four. My husband and I both work for our family of four. My brother writes novels and short stories. I write novels, short stories, children’s books, and poetry. And still, here we are, working. To pay the bills. Perhaps if my brother and I were single still one of us could live our dream. Maybe one of us would be a traveling author taking in the scenery of various national parks, monuments, endless seas, and city scapes. The reality is that most Americans were lied to as children. We can be what we want to be with some stipulations. Maybe one day, we can be what we want. But for right now, we need to head to work.
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May 2023
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