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This week the Class of 2020 will graduate in a virtual ceremony, and while many will be thrilled with endless new possibilities they will soon have a new reality to face… what do I want to be or what do I want to do?

Starting from a young age until graduation day, everyone constantly asks what do you want to be when you grow up. You think you know, until you have officially grown up and it’s not just a fantasy anymore.

My plans changed quite a bit from kindergarten until today. In fact, they couldn’t be more opposite, so to the graduates or even new first graders don’t be worried if your plans don’t pan out.

I’m going to take you down a trip to Memory Lane and you’ll soon see why it’s for the best my plans didn’t go accordingly.

I recently found my pre-k memory book, where my parents were cleaning out.

On the first day of school every year I was required to fill out an all about me page, and every year I would put down my hopes and dreams to be this or that when I grew up.

In K-4, my answer to that question was a diamond digger. Mind you, I went to a Christian preschool in a church, and they were confused and concerned to say the least.

Before you freak out, let’s review my answer. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was one of my favorite movies as a child. I made my family watch it weekly. Those dwarfs worked as miners I now know, but in my childhood brain all I knew was they were digging for diamonds, and that’s what I wanted to do too.

My teachers never really bothered with letting me explain that, they just shook their heads.

Flash forward to second grade, I finally got my hands on a Britney Spears c.d. and it brought about a new dream. While most kids may hear her and want to be a singer, I knew I couldn’t sing. I wanted to be a Britney Spears backup dancer.

I would play her songs in my Hello Kitty Boom box day and night, and tell every teacher who would even listen that was what I was going to be.

My mom was horrified. My teachers told me that was the music of the devil, and well I was only a second grader who just wanted my dance teacher to play Britney Spears and stop playing Bach for us to do ballet to.

That went on for some time, until I found a dream equally as scary and one that my teachers would disapprove of equally as much.

My dad had his annual propane convention, where they had the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders as guests to pump up the crowd.

I was in awe. I had never seen such a cool cheerleader. I got her autograph and took my picture with her, and that was it.

I had never cheered in my life. I couldn’t even do a cartwheel, but I was going to be a member of the DCC. I did the kick line in my living room and tied up my shirt, trying to look like I had on the uniform. I was living the DCC dream for a child, until it was career week at school.

I was so excited. The girl who went before me wanted to be a dolphin trainer and had brought in a picture of her swimming with dolphins. I told my teacher I had a cool picture of my job too, but when I whispered what it was, I just remember her face turning into a frown of disapproval. She told me no I couldn’t bring in that picture or talk about that to the other students in my class.

My mom made me dress up as a teacher I think, and I was upset.

Why couldn’t anyone understand I was meant to cheer for the rest of my life?

Eventually, I grew a little more realistic and decided to become a wedding planner after hours of playing Wedding Dash on my computer.

My dad squashed that dream, and I landed on magazines or a writer.

So, here I am.

I look back and thank goodness I’m not a miner. To be honest, I’m not even sure where a mine is located near here. I’m not a backup dancer… my career would’ve been over when she shaved her head. And I’m not a member of the DCC, probably because a toddler can kick higher than I can.

So, don’t be afraid of where your path takes you seniors! It’s winding and you’ll always end up just where you’re supposed to be.