Welcome back to another blog hop, with #OpenBook. Here’s this week’s prompt.
Don’t forget to click the purple button to see what everyone else has to say on this week’s subject. It’s at the end of my post.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I did consider answering that I hadn’t grown up enough to decide yet, but that would be flippant, even for me. However, as I’m on my third career and only aged ten in writer’s years, perhaps it’s not so far from the mark.
I don’t know how to act my age. I’ve never been this age before so have no basis in experience. I might be older but I don’t feel much different now to how I did when I was about eighteen.
To answer the question.
Looking back, I always wanted to travel, I remember listening to stories told by my father, a Royal Naval veteran and one of my uncles, a Merchant ship’s Captain. They were filled with glimpses of exotic foreign places and adventures on the high seas. It all sounded so exciting that I decided to give it a go myself.
After a false start that saw me stacking shelves in a supermarket for a year, I chose the Merchant Navy and set off to sea in 1975.
I did just about everything I could have dreamed of in that period of my life. When the time came for a change, I followed it with another career as a Surveyor, then Lockmaster, Assistant Harbour Master and Ship’s Pilot.
Because I enjoyed baking my own bread, when I first retired from the sea-going life, I set up and ran an Organic bakery for a while. Then, I started to write, which I’ve been doing ever since.
While it’s true that not all of my choices were things I’d initially wanted to do, all of them were enjoyable. For most of my life, I’ve been getting paid for doing something I would have happily done as a hobby.
So, will I ever consider myself to be a grown-up, a responsible adult?
As for what I want to do, should that happen? Who knows? Perhaps there will be another career change, in whatever time is left for me.
How about you, are you entering a second childhood, or are you still not finished with the first one yet?
Until next time.
Let me know what you think about this week’s subject.
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Stevie Turner
With your love of travelling, you chose the right career when you joined the Merchant Navy. I’ve always wanted to stay close to home, which has suited me over the years.
Richard Dee
I was lucky, always happy in whatever I did, which has to be a good thing.
Darlene Foster
Growing up is overrated! I don’t plan to do it. I always wanted to be a teacher and although I was never a grade school teacher, teaching was a big part of all my jobs which I loved.
Richard Dee
Totally agree, while I’m sure there’s a place for seriousness, you have to be happy in whatever you spend most of your life doing.
P.J. MacLayne
I’m old enough now that I can call myself an adult. Being a senior gives me the right to ignore the rules (within reason) and do what I want!
Richard Dee
Conformity is boring.
Snapdragon
My dad was in the navy and he would come back is stories and item from foreign countries. I used to like the idea of traveling far away but, now I do not know.
Richard Dee
It was great when I didn’t have too much to come home to.
Samantha J Bryant
Sounds like you’ve found a wonderful path so far. @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act
Richard Dee
It’s been good so far.