When we were children, many of us felt like the world was our oyster. If we were lucky, we didn’t feel bound by societal or even familial restrictions. We could dream of becoming doctors, queens, kings, rock stars, and even puppies. If we felt especially emboldened, we dreamed of becoming all of those things at once.
On a recent Facebook post, Upworthy asked the simple question: “When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?” Within a short time span, there were over 1,300 responses, ranging from people who had completely strayed off course to those who stayed steadfast to their plans. (Thus far, however, no one with plans to become a canine was able to do so.)
Exceeding our dreams
The prompt tapped into the notion that perhaps it can be a good idea to reflect on our childhood dreams. They often serve as roadmaps that help lead us to what we once wanted for ourselves. Many have had to shift their plans. But for some, their lives actually wound up exceeding their dreams.
In some of the answers, it’s clear that people achieved their dreams. One Facebooker wrote that as a child, they simply wished to daydream, sharing, “Any job where I could just sit and look out the window. I’m a pilot now.” Another wrote that they had plans to be a teacher for pretty honest reasons. “A teacher because I liked telling people what to do. (I actually became a teacher.)”
Another, inspired by ’80s performers, made their dreams a reality: “A Performance Artist and I became that. That was my life’s dream after seeing Madonna, Bowie, Eurythmics, Boy George, Grace Jones, Pete Burns. That’s all I wanted to be, and I finally did it at 18 and still do it at 47.”
A Beatle inspired this person, who strayed a bit from the plan and still fell into an admirable vocation. “A surgeon, a paleontologist, and a singer/drummer married to Paul McCartney. So I became a nurse.”
In a similar vein, another was hoping to become famous until their adult self set them back on track. “Sheryl Crow, but that position was already taken.”
Waking up to reality
This commenter was quite raw with their response. “I wanted to be a police officer. I was working on it in my mid-20s. When my oldest daughter said, ‘You can be a policeman if you promise not to get hurt or die,’ I couldn’t guarantee that. So I didn’t go any further.”
A few merely wanted their hopes and dreams to be in reach, literally. “I wanted to be taller so I could reach the cereal cabinet! Lol. Plus, I wanted to be a nun, a librarian, a veterinarian, etc. I even wanted to join the military.”
And then there were those with perfect jokes, especially for someone so young. “Someone asked me that when I was 10 years old, rosy-cheeked and (I thought) boring. My answer: ‘Pale and interesting.’”
Or just not growing up
Something many could relate to was the idea of not growing up at all. A Facebooker beautifully wrote, “When I was little, I just wanted to stay little, and play with my toys. I didn’t understand I’d grow, and I certainly never thought of a future, and I think I’ve pretty much managed to avoid growing up. Sure, I’m old, but never grown up.”
