That Aught Not Happen

"I am nobody.  Who are you?

Are you nobody too?"

Emily Dickinson

If someone decides to ask a child, "What do you want to be when you grow up," they had better have the respect to listen to the answer without editing any of it.  Often times the child is cut off midstream or totally squashed by negative feedback.  That aught not happen.

I believe the appropriate question is "What interests do you have and what will you do with them?" Some individuals know from childhood exactly what they want to be while others will work their way through a long list of differing occupations.  As we grow, our expectations change or depth is added as our creativity flourishes.

Often, we are told to be the best person we can be which is good advice except it may not run parallel to the direction we are headed.  When we give our lovely selves permission to grow into our skin honoring our inner beauty, we have time to appreciate the incidental things in life and applaud the unique accomplishments of others.  Perhaps if we never stop viewing through a child's eye, we will be more apt to encourage and support rather than defile and negate.