40 is not too far away from me. I have a little time, but it is now very visible on the horizon. I have no plans to buy a sports car or get a nose job to honor midlife, but it does get me thinking from time to time. What would life look like if I had taken a different path? Though this conversation could get deep quickly, I thought it might be more fun to keep things light and dream-like.
So, here’s what we are thinking about today: What would you be if you weren’t (fill in the blank)?
First, because it is fun to allow dreaming here, I will disclose that for most of my fill-in-the- blank answers, I have absolutely zero experience. They have zero to do with actual finances. They have zero to do with current life responsibilities and realities. Therefore, I have no actual knowledge of the hardships (or, in some cases, the smells) that exist. So, disregard any obvious naivety and join me in my fantasies! Then, fill in your own blanks!
If I wasn’t a teacher …
I would probably still be a teacher. I know this is such a cheat response first thing. But, I do love my job, and it is fair to say that I still dream about the things I can do each year in my classroom. I have 15 years of teaching under my belt, and I feel proud of this. I still want to do more, create more, learn more. And, if I’m honest, I really do still love apples, teddy bears, bells, chalk, and really good paper. Maybe my response should have been, “I would be a teacher in 1990.”
If I wasn’t a teacher …
I would be a writer who lives in a yellow farmhouse. Have you ever seen the movie Funny Farm*? For some reason, this house sticks with me. It just needs a new coat of paint. I’d be one of those early morning writers with wool socks on woven rugs, dim lamps on a big wooden table, and views out of dormer windows.
*So hilarious. Go watch it!
If I wasn’t a teacher…
I would be a lawyer. I lived a short chapter of life in Washington D.C. as an intern working in courts. It was a wonderful summer, and I learned a LOT. It also happened to be an internship in family court which was tough, saddening, and often, frankly, maddening. So, though I decided to be on a different side of family life (I’ll be a teacher! Things are more “apple-y!”), I can still see myself throwing on a spiffy pant suit and rocking a briefcase.
If I wasn’t a teacher …
I’d be an artist who lives in France. Why not just go for the gold with this dream? I have no artistic skills whatsoever, but in my dream I paint beautifully and take frequent day trips to Giverny. I probably mostly drive a vespa, but other days I ride a bicycle with a basket while wearing a dress, and the dress never gets stuck in my pedals.
If I wasn’t a teacher…
I’d be a horse trainer. Please refer to my disclaimer at the introduction of this post. I do not even have anything much to say about this. But, doesn’t it look pretty?
A close second to this would be the owner of an orchard. I would pick fruit, can fruit, make pies, and have harvest celebrations.
If I wasn’t a teacher …
I’d be a baker, of course! I would have a cozy little bakery that is warm and welcoming and smells divine. I would get up early each day to bake, smile at regulars, happily pack up boxes for friends, and bring home leftovers to my husband and kids. On weekends, I would invite children in to bake. I would also offer things like compound butters. Who does not want honey butter or orange butter on his baguette?
If I wasn’t a teacher …
I’d be a philanthropist, social worker, or in a community outreach position. I would want to go home each day feeling like I helped someone in need or contributed in some way to the betterment of a group of people. Or a group of animals. Or for the environment.
I hate to say that I’d be involved in politics in some type of way, because the word is so polarizing. And yet, perhaps …
If I wasn’t a teacher …
I’d be a librarian. I want to read books, shelve books, recommend books, and run those darn cute book groups for toddlers. And those darn cute book groups for seniors, too. I want to decorate the library with Hungry Caterpillar posters and organize author luncheons. I want to order new books. I want to collect books for people who put them on hold, because I am so curious as to what others are interested in reading! Also, in this dream, I have a library in my house that looks like this:
If I wasn’t a teacher …
I’d be a maternity nurse. I know. This one I am not so naive on. These nurses are so, so special. But they also see a lot. No doubt, they go home with pain and worry. Despite this, I always thought they had such an incredible honor, to be present the moment someone’s life changes forever and the moment a new life is born. What a job. Also, I love holding babies. Please give me all the babies.
If I wasn’t a teacher …
I’d own a Christmas shop. Yep. I love Christmas. I would have to be careful here, though. Most year-round Christmas shops are a bit corny. Surely there could be a classy one, too, right?
If I wasn’t a teacher …
I’d be a museum curator. I envision these people’s lives to be so rich- to research an event or time period, to find artifacts, to create a collection that is meaningful and educational, and then to present them in a way that engages the public? So cool!
If I wasn’t a teacher …
I would be a travel writer. I would tour the world, meet its beautiful people, taste its food, see its sights, make connections and write about it. When people read it, they would want to go exploring, too. Travel is so much more than a surface level fantasy. I believe people who travel have broader perspectives and deeper banks of empathy.
If I wasn’t a teacher …
I would own a bed and breakfast. I would host people from different places and different walks of life. I would give them respite and a warm fireplace. The place would be cozy and quiet but delightful, too. People would want to come back to it and share it with others. And Jason would make pancakes and scones.
If I wasn’t a teacher …
I would be a bikini model. A girl can dream.
How about you? Doctor? Astronaut? Artist? Musician? Knitter? Buyer for Crate and Barrel? Ooh, that sounds fun …
