With the English major I received as my undergraduate, I have a great appreciation for definitions. To this day, any time we sit down to play a game of Scrabble, my mother is whipping out her copy of the American Heritage Dictionary: College Edition just to challenge any questionable words played. (Yes, our games are *that* competitive...). While we play, the definitions of the words are considered thoughtfully in terms of how many points we can earn, and there are small props for creativity and strategy. It's funny to note though how these definitions are simply just words on a page to describe another word.
Just like those challenges my mother makes, the other day, I was caught in a real definitive moment. I was taking part in a casual conversation with someone and joked about my age in reference to the classes I was taking. Well, this person responded in an astonished tone, "What have you done with your life?". Now this person is only a year younger than I am, and is already working in the industry he intended to be in, but I was definitely surprised by his question. For I personally do believe that no one is really ever too old to change their mind and go a different route - especially with education. However, instead of standing up for what I truly believe I have *done* with my life, I immediately responded by listing out all of the things that I had done. I have a degree, I worked at a website development company for a year, etc. etc... And this answer was totally automatic - borderline defensive, because I was secretly a little ashamed of myself. I had been quickly debunked by someone for not being where I want to be.....yet.
Several days later this conversation is still on my mind. What keeps coming into my mind is how it's so amazing and quite frankly tragic that in the blink of an eye we can reduce ourselves to little more than mere words. Not just any words either, words that encompass our successes, our status, and our title... instead of words encircling our beliefs, morals, attitudes, and ethics.
This is the same scenario when we meet anyone new and they might ask us what we do for a living. We might automatically answer, oh I'm a lawyer, or a teacher, or a mother, or a doctor.. And then we'll just leave it at that. Well, I have thought about those answers, and now I can say without a doubt that it is far too unfair to sell ourselves so short.
Why would we limit ourselves to just a word or two when we know what really went into making us who we are. Our communities, our churches, our families and our friends have all shaped us, taught us, prepared us, and from the different upbringings we've had, we all bring something slightly different to the table. How is it then that when we are asked a question we still just answer with an inch, a mile, a pound, a dollar, a title, a word? Where is the meaning in that?
So when someone asks me, "so you want to be a pharmacist?". Yes, I do. With all my heart I do. But, I also want to be a friend, a wife, a leader, a teacher, a resource, a caring person, a positive force, a smiling face, an honest speaker, a thoughtful person, and so, so much more.
I challenge you to think about the definitions in your life. Have you limited yourself? Are you afraid to explore new definitions? Should there really even be any definitions at all?
