I had a plan… it changed. My plans do change, often. I don’t think I changed my mind….
When I was a kid I had a dream to be a Nuclear Physicist. Ok, so I looked a book in the library when I was in grade 5 and I was fascinated by the crazy calculations. I didn’t think about it again until I was working in a job where I was required to study to be a Ionizing Radiation Safety Officer and remembered the little blue book I found on the library shelf while at the RAAF School in Penang, Malaysia. In hindsight, I think that little book had more of an influence on my journey than I ever realised. I applied to join the Navy in the early 80’s as an apprentice. I was so excited to commence my military life….then they asked what stream I would like to study? Nuclear Power was my response and that was the end of my journey to the Navy as it was only available to males as females were not yet posted to ships! I continued at school, my favourite subject being science. I don’t recall the year or the contents but I remember the lead box that contained something special, I never could have imagined that one day I would be the radioactive specimen in a lead box (in isolation following cancer treatment). I eventually to joined the military and pursued a career as an Electronics Technician working on radar. I left the military when I had children to care for as I could not longer commit 100% to serving my country. Time went by and I had a few jobs in-between but when an offer to work at a Navy communications station as a civilian safety officer was presented I had everything I could have wanted, working back in the world of communications, a military establishment, a civilian, a safety professional…and finally the opportunity to attend a course run by the military at the defence force university! A place that was out of my league when I was in the RAAF as I never graduated from high school.
I’m no longer working in the dream job having to leave for the sake of my sons education but that’s ok, things have worked out well and great opportunities continue to present themselves to me. Six weeks ago I was wondering what I would be doing now.
A friend questioned me recently when I was filling her in on where I am at, the changes ahead and my 2023 Grown-Up Gap Year that is being planned, ‘Are you still going to do that, you change your mind so often…??’. Six months ago I had a plan….but when I am offered a casual winter job that turns into a permanent job I changed my plan. I don’t think ‘I changed my mind’, I looked at the opportunity and went with what appears to be the best option. Who knows if it was…I will never know as I can only take one path at a time, one path that has plenty of intersections and options of directional change for me to contemplate.
One thing leads to another… it’s not my mind that changes.