An Illustrator turned Actor to Architect to Magician to.....

Image courtesy: dreamstime.com

What do you want to be when you grow up? How often have we heard this question in our lives? At least in our childhood? The answer to this question keeps changing eternally as we grow up; for we keep growing up eternally.  Some of us chase our dream career and live up to that one dream. But most of us want to become something, study something and end up working as something or someone else.

In my growing up years, I wanted to become a lawyer. Do you want to know why? Because, yours truly had a great habit of arguing and a sharp tongue which I thought was enough to survive as a lawyer.  Later in High school, I wanted to become a journalist. I appeared for the entrance of a law college and got the admission, which I denied. Glad I did! However, there still remains an unfulfilled wish of not doing the journalism course. Whatever! I work as a s/w tester who books and cancels flights morning to evening. Well, my passengers can range anywhere from Brad Pitt to the Big B.

From dreaming on what to become to what I became; it's my turn to ask my kids. Right now, my daughter is very keen on becoming a teacher. She pretends to be one every day and repeats her Montessori schedule at home with us. Whereas, yours truly dreams on sending her to the Senate. Long way to go, huh? Yes, long way. By the way, nothing has changed since this post that had been sitting in my drafts for more than two years. She graduated to an art teacher.

My son keeps changing his options very often which is very natural being the son of this confused soul. Kids his age are already pretty clear on what they want to do.  One day he said, “Amma, I want to become a book illustrator”. Oh wow! The writer in me jumped with joy. A creative son for a creative mom. What else do I need? I said that’s great! "Amma, will I be famous if I am book illustrator?" Ah..well! yes, you will.

While the illustrator in him is put to sleep, he wanted to become an NBA player who could make millions.  And mind you, we don’t lift a finger in the house or move an inch of any muscle. But we sit in the sofa and discuss what shots Jordan threw, how much an NBA player makes per game and if Curry is better than LeBron.

"Amma, is it difficult to become an actor?" Long answer short, you need to have someone in the film industry. He then went over an extensive list of actors/actresses, comedians and how each of them became a film star. There were even attempts at becoming a director and that deserves a separate post. :-)

We were building our first home and the house was always filled with discussions regarding the plans, tiles, upgrades etc...If not an actor, an architect. He would come up with designs of buildings and even promised his aunt to build her a mansion. Yes, not a house. A mansion. All he does right now is sleep blissfully in the mansion built by his parents.

One lazy Sunday noon while I was cooking for the week ahead, he comes to help me in the kitchen. "I think it's better to learn cooking. If I don't have anything else, this will be an option." It was my turn to look at him in ....... (feel free to use your vocabulary to fill the blank).

Fast forward to an year and half...We were returning from a birthday party. "Amma, how much money do you think a magician will make?" Ehh..."A Magician?" Aahh...now it rings a bell...there was a magician at the Birthday party. "Oh boy!!"

Won't you tell me what you wanted to be when you grew up?