my poor dad suggested I go back to school, get my higher degrees, and
work for the government, my brain went numb, my heart went heavy and
my gut said, “No way.”
When he suggested I get my old job back with Standard Oil or fly for
the airlines, again my mind, heart, and gut said no. I knew I was through
sailing and flying, although they were great professions and the pay was
pretty good.
In 1973 at the age of 26, I was growing up. I had followed my parent’s
advice and gone to school, received my college degree, and had two
professions: a license to be a ship’s officer and a license to fly. The problem
was, they were professions and the dreams of a child.
At the age of 26, I was old enough to know that education is a process.
For example, when I wanted to be a ship’s officer, I went to a school that
turned out ships’ officers. And when I wanted to learn to fly, I went to Navy
flight school, a two-year process that turns non-pilots into pilots. I was
cautious about my next educational process. I wanted to know what I was
going to become before I started my next educational process.
Traditional schools had been good to me. I had achieved my childhood
professions. Reaching adulthood was confusing because there were no signs
saying, “This is the way.” I knew what I
didn’t want to do, but I did not
know what I
wanted to do.
It would have been simple if all I wanted was a new profession. If I had
wanted to be a medical doctor, I would have gone to medical school. If I
had wanted to be a lawyer, I would have gone to law school. But I knew
there was more to life than just going to school to gain another professional
credential.
I did not realize it at the time, but at 26 years of age, I was now looking
for my path in life, not my next profession.
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