I’ll never forget taking a career assessment in high school. After filling in all kinds of bubbles pertaining to my skills and interests, the computer thought about it and spat out an answer. Biologist? No. Environmental Scientist? No. Photographer? No.
Acrobat. That was my deeply-computed destiny. All those good grades and sports and clubs I had in my recent past amounted to a life meant for the circus.
Now that I’ve graduated from college, lived out dozens of job descriptions, raised kids, and come to a point that I may have a little time to reflect on what’s next, I have to say, the computer may have been right.
As I sit for hours on end and lament my uncomfortably numb buns whilst homeschooling (think how kids must feel all day long in school!), I long to be out using my whole body somehow. For hours on end. For some good purpose. Walking is fine; biking is great; but how I’d love the opportunity to use all of me in some exciting and strength-requiring way that someone else needs!
I’ve river guided, bike toured, kayak rolled, backpacked, windsurfed, wall climbed, ashtanga yoga-ed, zumba-ed, and half-marathoned. Maybe there’s something else out there. Something just meant for me to do. All the time.
Today I contemplated putting an ad in some paper: “Are you seeking someone for some kind of job that involves some kind of physical ability to accomplish some sort of important task that requires some kind of experience? Such as walk across a country to record a culture? Hike several mountains to study altitude sickness? Document how CrossFit turns a soft body into a powerhouse?”
When I think of the options here on Orcas for experiencing a mix of strength, personal competition, and mental clarity, I think of CrossFit with Angela and Thaddeus, aerial silks with Maria, martial arts with Cameron, or stand-up paddleboarding with Karl. All of those cost money, though. How I’d love to get paid to be purposeful and strong for some cause!
I don’t really know where I’m going with this. Just a little ramble since I have a blog. But perhaps it will somehow lead me to finding that thing that I can’t dream up on my own, circus or elsewhere. Time’s only getting shorter while I wonder what it may be…….P
