I really love this story. She follows her parents' advice to do something more likely to be a well-paying job than art and becomes a SURGEON! I can only imagine the personal investment one must make to do that. And she makes it -- she does what it takes to become a surgeon and IS a surgeon. And never forgets her true dream, her calling... just puts it on hold and pursues it in small steps where possible, readjusting her life as necessary. And, eventually is FI and can go ahead and be an artist without any of the worries about becoming a starving artist her parents were concerned about. It's just extraordinary! The career choice made as the alternative is so demanding and consuming...and yet, she's able to do it and not get entirely sucked into it but still nourish her true underlying passion. I just love this story!
Thanks Dee, for sorting out my thoughts that are in my (injured) brain.
I'm sort of living the first part of this story.
Our daughter is very very bright, and very very artistic. (those are not just a Mom's brags, it's true)
Until about 6 mos ago, she had plans to be a doctor of some sort. I remember having a discussion with her while she was in high school, telling her that I haven't research it yet, but it seems to me the beginning of her art career, to make any money, she'd have to do art as others told her. I knew she couldn't do that but I also knew she wouldn't do what I told her to. So, I just gave opinions.
Her plans:
She got her RN degree, and works in the new psych building of a local hospital (and they're building another.) They paid for the classes needed to get her BA. She found out they do not pay for any part of med school, but all of pharmacy school.
So, she told me she now has plans to become a pharmacist. When she told me, she said it was 2 mos past the date that she would have started applying to pharmacy school, so has plans to go next year. She seems to be very confident she'll be accepted.
Her main asset is her brain and I think pharmacy is a better choice. But like I said, she's not going to do what I tell her!
As parents, it's our job to help the kids be the best they can be. I remember telling her she can do her art in her down time - we'll see where this all takes her.