Aspirations

When we were schoolchildren, my friends and I had an autograph book we passed around to one another. We'd spend a good few days writing in our pertinent information (zodiac sign, date/place of birth, favorite color, favorite TV show, etc.), pasting in our best photo, decorating and personalizing it for the owner of the book (SARAH. S = Super. A = A little crazy. R = Rrrrandom!... and so on. Sorry Sar you're the first name I thought of).

I ran across mine the other day. One thing caught my eye: "Aspirations." Lawyers, teachers, doctors, architects - mostly a slew of solid, canned answers. What do you expect of grade-schoolers, anyway?

But really. Seriously. In our heart of hearts, as kids, who did we all really want to be?!

I think it's revealed in who you choose to be during role-playing at recess. We all wanted to be somebody. And it wasn't a lawyer. Or a doctor.

But, yes. A super-hero.

Or just a hero, no super-powers (we don't need 'em) who basically can kick butt and save the world from evil alien invasions with my mad martial arts skills and intricate weaponry. And a band of compadres to fight evil with me, of course, because that's just a lot more fun. My crime-fighting friends (or in many cases, cousins) and I would live together in our sophisticated safe haven ready to answer the call of duty anytime. Life would not be easy of course, but heck, it is a calling, not a choice! And we'd have the theme song for everytime we beat the bad guys.

Then, before you know it, "let's pretend" days are over. So one abandons childish fantasies, inventories one's strengths and assets to pursue something that will put food on the table. In my case I went to high school abroad, then to university to major in Communications, then to Los Angeles to pursue the entertainment thing and end up in advertising instead.

Somehow, I grew up.

Or have I?

I still think there are people to be rescued. I still want to live with my friends and partner with them. I still want to fight evil, alien or otherwise. And you may laugh, but I still get giddy at the thought.

So maybe I haven't grown up. And I kinda don't want to. And even better: I no longer have to pretend.