This scenario was unexpectedly brought to the forefront of my mind about a week ago:
It was around 1998, I was studying for my undergraduate studies in communication disorders and business. I was taking an introduction to Psychology course, to meet the requirements for liberal studies and for communication disorders. For extra credit in this course we could volunteer to be subjects in psychology studies. Many of the studies looked at motivation, personality, job potential, etc... for the majority of the studies we did not see the results. However, Dr. Bill Olson, the professor who refused to be called Professor Olson, or Mr. Olson and insisted that he either be called "Bill" or Dr. Olson told our class this: "If you take this test, I will be willing to 'free of charge' review your personal results with you to see what your motivation, and future job possibilities will look like" and this was based on motivation and personality amongst a whole slew of other things. We also could get extra credit for partaking in the study so... I signed up.
I don't remember the majority of the test questions, I only vaguely remember a question regarding which bridge of two bridges I would take, if I knew that there would be danger at the end of one of the bridges. My answer seemed logical enough to me that of course I would take the bridge that is safest. During the review of the test with Dr. Olson he told me this: 1) You will never be successful in a career. 2) You have little motivation to be anything other than a fabulous mother and wife. I left this short encounter with "Dr. Olson" furious, thinking he had no right to say that I wanted to do nothing more than to be a mom and a wife, although I would be great at it. How can he really say that I would not have a successful career? I clearly remember the anger I felt towards him and how wrong I felt that he was.
Since this scenario was brought to the forefront of my mind, in the past week or so this is what I have concluded: He was wrong about my career success. I am successful! However he wasn't wrong about me wanting to be a mother and wife. I do want this- the one thing I have absolutely no control over. Why is it that my dream would be to have a happy safe household? Could it just be a common desire that all humans face, in the fact that most humans have a desire to love and to be loved? The one thing Dr. Olson has no control over either is if or if not I am blessed to find that person to spend my life with.
And I would like to challenge society with this question: Is it really so wrong to have this dream?
And a word to Mr. Olson- Being safe doesn't hamper success!
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3 comments:
I agree with you that (98%) all people share the same goal of finding love. Dunno what the percent would be to procreate... 74%?
I don't think it's wrong to have this dream, nor do I think most of society would disagree with that dream. Yet, it is often the case that those who yell and scream from their rooftops that they want to be married and raise kids are also the same ones who don't follow their personal interests at all within careers or other hobbies. I think this tends to make those career folks hesitant to whisper their desires to also love, be loved, and have a family...because society at times takes it the wrong way. It is possible to do both, have a family and be successful within a career. Knowing you, I know how wonderful a person you are inside and out. I hope you are blessed with someone to share your life with.
Thanks Anonymous.
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