Friday! I love Friday! It’s my favorite day of the week, always has been. Ready to share a question together? Please drop into the comments and share your answer to…
When you were a kid, what was your dream job?
It’s true I always wanted to be a writer, but I considered that more of a “fun” thing than a job. (Who knew?!?) I also wanted to be a teacher, which I have done and will soon do again. But when it comes to the imaginative jobs, I always wanted to work for NASA. Thing was, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to be an astronomer or work in Mission Control. After all, in Mission Control, I’d get to talk to the astronauts, right? When Columbia first flew, there was a phone number you could call and hear the astronauts talking to Mission Control. I can remember my mother letting me get on the phone and eavesdrop on them. That was the most amazing thing in the world to my mind. That was the same year my parents bought me a telescope for Christmas, which I still own. Oh yes, they encouraged me!
The desire to work for NASA brought me my first brush with tragedy, too. I will never forget the day Challenger exploded. I was 12 and grief-stricken enough to write a letter to President Reagan. He wrote me back. Well, his secretary did, but still, it was cool. And even though I had been a grown up and a teacher for many years, I can remember the moment I realized Columbia and her brave passengers were no more. My mother was on the phone with me, and when the first video came across, all I could say was, “Oh Mama… The shuttle.” Along with September 11th, those two images are forever etched in my memory.
But I have to tell you this. It did my heart good to hear my amazing seven-year-old daughter ask for a telescope for Christmas last year. (No, I did not prompt her one bit.) And just like he did for me all those years ago, her Papa bought her one.
Y’all… This is gonna be fun.
-JB
Jessica R. Patch says
I wanted to be an actress. I spent hours coming up with all kinds of movies in my head and acting them out. Turns out, it wasn’t the acting I loved–it was the stories I created.
I’ve always known since I was a child that I was called into full time ministry. I thought maybe it was going to be as a missionary–my heart aches for India and always will. I’m married to an ordained minister. Went to Bible College. Little did I know that the full time ministry would collide with my love for writing, because to me–writing inspirational fiction is full time ministry, amen?!