What do you want to be when you grow up?

Once again, my husband sent me an email with some new questions for me to answer.

Part One: What did you most want to be when you were growing up and why? 

Part Two: Now that you’re all grown up, what would you most want to be and why?

This was my response to him (with the question returned to him which he loves when I do:) )

Hmm...

Part 1.

Its hard to pin point the exact thing I wanted to be as there were a few. I was always changing my mind. 

A doctor... NO! A dentist... No! LOL!

The ones I kept returning to most were...

A nurse because I could help people who were hurt, but that got thrown out in high school when I realized my bedside manner was lacking.
A teacher, once again, because I could help kids learn and have fun doing it.
A watershed ecologist. This emerged in high school when I began to develop a passion for conservation and environmental issues. (And it also meant working with water, which I love.) Once again, it was to help; this time the earth, and subsequently, people.

Part 2.

Now that I am grown up, what would I like to be? 

This is such a loaded question as I think there are more ideas and desires of what I would like to be now than back then. I see it more now, not as what I would like to be, but more of how I'd like to spend my time. I believe that I want to be, and presently strive to be: inquisitive, kind, compassionate and open to new experiences. 

So in that theme: How would I like to spend my time?

Besides the obvious of spending time experiencing new things with my family, I would like to: paint, write, take pictures, hike, ski, travel, meet new people, read, swim, sail, kayak, play instruments, play games, bbq on the back deck, go beach glass hunting, volunteer, sip tea and coffee with family and friends, and sleep in neat places. 

Out of all this, if I were to answer the question "what would I want to be?" as I would when I was younger, I would have to say a travel writer, a missionary, an artist, a mom, a wife and a friend.  All these would satisfy my need for new experiences, see the world, meet new people, be creative and love and care for people.  The latter three I am already doing and loving.  The artist has laid dormant in me since university and is waiting to be released.  And the travel writer and missionary are close at hand.  I can feel it. :)

Now, I will turn the questions over to you:

Part One: What did you most want to be when you were growing up and why? 

Part Two: Now that you’re all grown up, what would you most want to be and why?