Mom, I know what I want to be when I grow up!
Having a job or career has never been my life dream. There is nothing I can think of that I'd happily do every single day for the rest of my life, especially if it is just to make money. Don't get me wrong- I've got a crazy work ethic and am driven by the satisfaction of a job well done. I just don't dream about jobs. However, most recently, I found a clever loophole to my conundrum of "what to be."
You see, I always envisioned myself as this homesteading lady who made a full living by selling my various outputs, such as vegetables and eggs, my artwork, maybe even some labor. And while I still dream of a day when all my numerous hobbies pay off, I realize that just affording my homestead in the first place is gonna cost a pretty penny, more than any job I qualify for now is gonna pay. And the cost of living just continues to rise..
SO, this idea hit me. I grappled with the question over and over, turning it over in my mind like a fried egg in a skillet. What can I do every single day, happily? What can I sell without losing a part of myself? I was sitting in my chair looking out the window, admiring the wind rustling through the trees and watching a crow dive into the field. Then it hit me. No, not the crow. The idea. I would use my undying love and devotion to nature to make a living! There is no moment when I am outside that I am not completely fascinated and entranced by the beautiful world around me. I never grow bored in a field or forest.
All I had to do next was create a job title out of it. A quick internet exploration revealed to me that other people actually do what I was dreaming of as a full time job, and make a decent living. I hadn't heard of "Registered Guides" or "Outdoor Education Instructors" before, but immediately I knew that I wanted to dip my toes into this world. Every day I read books about foraging, trees, fishing, geology, among other things involved with the natural world. My education has long been in the works. Why not amp it up and add a goal at the end?
And so, since my great epiphany, I've found much enjoyment just in "studying" what I already pursued for fun. I'm relearning things like the correct words for leaf shapes and arragements, how to use latin taxonomy, which birds migrate when, and every possible way to start a fire. And then there are new things, like how to navigate by stars, and where to find snakes, and how to process a deer. The whole experience has me enthralled.
Wish me well on my journey! It will be a lifetime of learning and experiences, and at least a few years of practice and study before it amounts to a career. But for a dream like this, I'm happy to wait.
