Sunday Scribblings: Misspent Youth


Sorry, I think my youth was well spent.

I was a good girl growing up. Kind of boring, really. The only child of a Marine/police officer and a nurse, I walked the straight and narrow until my mid-20s when I moved from home. I never stayed out late, never drank (not really), never missed worked (had a job at 16)—didn’t even kiss a boy until college. Still, they worried about me even when they didn’t need to, but that’s what parents do, as I am surely finding out firsthand.

When I was younger, I wanted to own a nightclub (*smile*)! I remember there being no place really safe for young people to hang out except the mall, so I thought having a club where 16-year olds could dance but not drink would be fun. Then I took an 8 a.m. economics course which cured me of that! Dropping it allowed me to focus on subjects that I loved, such as English lit. I took a creative writing course and knew liberal arts, specifically poetry, was something I wanted to pursue.

My biggest complaint with the college and university system is that they don’t prepare English majors for the real world. I remember my father saying that with a degree in English I could go into almost any field. But what I needed was personal finance and career guidance on what to do with this major. I still hold out hope that one day I will be U.S. Poet Laureate … it can happen!

I think my younger self would be surprised yet pleased at how my life has turned out. My dad always thought I would be famous for something—being a lawyer or a newscaster. But he has no complaints about how things turned out: married with a beautiful husband and kids. Healthy and happy with a job I enjoy. Life is good.

Again, I’m available for the laureateship at anytime.

Visit Sunday Scribblings for more youthful stories.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Me too, Me too!

As we all know, no one reads poetry!

Well, almost no one..
January said…
Well, it's nice to know that I'm not alone. Thanks Gautami.
Jo said…
I enjoyed reading this! You could well be on your way........
Becca said…
Being a good girl definitely has its rewards -and your family and talent are a testament to that!

As for Laureate-hood - you'd have my vote :)
Tumblewords: said…
Where shall I go to vote 'yes'? You can change the world, I know! Great post!

Popular Posts