My Road Finally Traveled

Written by Phara from Your Mirror or Mine

When I was 17 and graduating from high school, my aspiration was to become a designer. I wanted to live in New York City, have long flowing hair, wear too big for my face sunglasses like Jackie O, and attend Parsons School of Design. Here’s how the conversation went with my father.

“Dad, I really want to go to school in New York City and be a designer”, I said.

“New York City”, replied my father. (I think they used him as their voice model for the Pace Picante sauce T.V. ads). “Design isn’t a real major…I’m not paying for that”.

And just like that, I wasn’t going to New York City. Instead I settled on a fine arts university and got a degree in elementary education. Here’s how that conversation transpired.

“This school is expensive. You’re going to graduate in four years, right?”

“Yes dad, four years.”

I kept my promise, got a job as a second grade teacher, and taught for one year. Now teaching is a noble profession, it just wasn’t for me. Next……

I don’t know how I happened upon my next career, but here’s conversation number three.

“Dad, I’m a urology nurse now. I love it and am really good at it.”

“Are you doing what I think you’re doing in that profession?” my dad asked.

“Yeah, probably. Try not to think about it”, I said.

Fast forward twenty years. I am now in my forties. I have two teenage kids, one about to leave for college, and I’m still dreaming about design. I don’t have the long flowing hair, I look like a fly when I wear Jackie O sunglasses, and the occasional excursion from Oklahoma to New York City is enough for this girl. So, what was the next logical step? Here’s the last conversation about my profession with my father.

“Dad, I’ve quit nursing and gotten my certificate in design”.

“You’re really good at decorating, huh?”

“Yeah, dad, I am”.

“Guess you should have gone to school and done that in the first place”.

Sigh……