Lost careers

I know a woman who, at 35 or so, is leaving her high-level (and very secure) job to go back to school and become what she dreamed about in high school. Never mind that she wants to be a mortician -- she is following her dream. A dream she had forgotten about until recently. When she decided to take this path-not-taken, her mom reminded her that it was her childhood aspiration. She had completely forgotten. But somewhere, deep down, she remembered.

I thought about her as I read this today. When I was in High School, I imagined myself as an interpreter. I took German, and Spanish, until they both got too hard and I was more interested in extracurricular activities than academics. I took the easy route, studied English in college, and have mostly made my living off my communication skills. But for a few minutes today, I wondered, "What if??"