Did you grow up to be you?

Looking back at my childhood and thinking about who I am now is intriguing. Now that could go in many directions and mean lots of things, but I’m thinking of something in particular. My dad got me into sports very early so that by the time I was nine years old, I was playing four sports over the course of a year and a few years it was five different sports. I enjoyed all of it and never felt forced to play. Even now, I love running, competition, and hard labor. I like being physically active. There is no need to motivate me to do it.

There were also times that I can remember enjoying art. I don’t remember taking formal art lessons, at least not for long. Art class was required as an elective in middle school. I was a part of a few art projects and summer enrichment courses but nothing extensive. Around the age of 12, I began to get into comic books. For about a year I enjoyed drawing superheroes with intricate detail. I even made up my own superheroes and sketched them from the inspiration of combining elements from all the various characters in the comic books.

In high school, football took most of my time. I did play basketball for the city and ran track for school. No way was I going to be anything other than an athlete. Yet, the unconventional class I enjoyed the most was drama. My favorite days of school were dress-up days during Homecoming. One year I wore a pink Elvis leisure suit. Later, when I got my first job, part of the responsibility was to speak in public schools. I assembled a teen panel and created skits for the students to perform at the schools. It was great. I also created what some would call human videos in which you pantomime to a song. Music was a major part of my life even to the point that I was a DJ for two years in college.

I often wonder had my dad not gotten me so involved with sports at a young age, would I have invested so much time in athletics on my own initiative or would I have gone deeper into the liberal arts such as music, acting, and art. Interestingly, my wife never played sports growing up. Not one. Yet, at the age of 33, after four children she decided to begin running marathons. She has run several half marathons. We are also involved in a city kickball league. She gets really into it. With a little inspiration as a child, would she have gone into track, softball, or women’s golf? We will never know. All we know is that now running a marathon is her thing. It’s being herself.

Are you who you were meant to be? Did you go down a path that seems counterintuitive to your personality? Were you prevented from doing what you love because your parents wanted you to go down a different path? We all have a story that is unique. The good news, there is still time to learn and become who you were meant to be. Don’t let anyone hold you back.