What color is my parachute?

Every so often, Bob tentatively asks me if I’ve given any more thought to what I’m going to do for work after the children are all in school. And I usually get defensive and throw out a few ideas that aren’t very practical . And he’ll remind me that we don’t always want to struggle financially and then I get more defensive. I launch into how unfair it is that I had to give up the bulk of my professional life and that I had to completely transform myself for our family and he didn’t have to change his external life much at all and now I have to plan to do it again in a few years? And then we argue for a bit and go to bed sort of angry and then don’t talk about it again for a while. During this hiatus, I first get a little depressed and then go searching on-line and read some of my ‘What Color is Your Parachute’ book. Then I get busy with being a mom and wife and part time business owner. But while I’m still in the thick of the contemplation phase, I’ve compiled a short list of possible futures and some notes about each one.

1. Unitarian Minister: This sounds like a lot of fun to me plus I’d have the summers off and a housing allowance. I’m definitely a people person and would feel like I could really contribute to something meaningful. I have the healer thing in my favor and I’m not afraid to speak in front of groups. Downside is that I know little about religion, history or finances and committee meetings make me want to naw on my own major arteries.
2. Nurse: I’ve been accepted to a program once so I could probably do it again. It’s only 2 years of fairly inexpensive school. I’m not grossed out by blood or needles, but I can’t say that I’m particularly fond of them or any other bodily fluids. Decent pay. Long hours. Lots of jobs and areas of concentration. Could travel, have a somewhat flexible schedule. Could work with new moms and babies, but would have to take orders from doctors. I don’t like to take orders from anyone and I am easily annoyed by doctors.
3. Farmer/farm worker: Love everything about farms. I don’t mind the smells. Could get a discount maybe on decent food. Would feel like I was contributing to something worthwhile. Could be outside a lot and work with animals. Am allergic to some of said animals and would eventually be eating the others. Not sure if I have a problem with this. Very hard work. No stability. Low pay especially for someone with no experience.
4. Writer: Lifetime dream. Many variables. Have a hard time actually sitting down to write. Am terrible with punctuation and grammar (if you haven’t noticed) Need I say more?
5. Waitress: Can’t even believe this is on the list. I swore when I left New York I would NEVER do it again. Being on the front line of hungry obnoxious people and their unresolved conflicts with food and then being dependent on them for income is unbearable. BUT, in the right restaurant, it’s great money, flexible and a really fun environment.
6. Nutritionist: Am passionate about food particularly that which contains nutrients unlike most of the stuff we call ‘food’. Would love to be part of educating people on what’s really going on out there . What’s really in our food. How it affects our bodies and minds. And what we can do to change it. Down side is that there is such a small group that wants to hear these truths and do what it takes to make real change. Am not sure how this passion would translate into a paying position that would be fulfilling.

Surely these ideas will soon get lost in the shuffle of washing diapers, blending baby food, playing endless rounds of Chutes and Ladders and trying to return client calls. So, until the next time Bob tries to nonchalantly ask me what my next career move might be. It’s not that he doesn’t want me to return to massage full time and try to build my business, but like he kindly points out, do I really want to still be massaging people when I’m sixty? Probably not.