So you want to be a teacher...

Put simply, yes, more than anything actually. I know to some individuals it may sound a little random. This is understandable, considering it's only something I've mentioned a few times in passing. I've never really made it my life goal until recently because I've never ALLOWED it to be my goal. After all, teachers don't make very much money. The benefits are decent but you have to put up with a lot of bureaucratic tape throughout your career. There's also that old adage, those who can't do, teach.

Wow, they're right, who would want to be a teacher? Well, the answer is still me. Over the past few years of my adult life, I've come to terms with the fact that money may make the world go round, but it certainly doesn't guarantee a population of happy inhabitants. I work very hard for what I believe to be a decent living. My back aches almost daily from the stresses I take on. My wallet is thick, full of credit cards with maxed out lines of credit. I currently owe more than my yearly salary in student loans from a degree I've never used (depressing!) and my house, my American Dream, leaks into buckets and I'm not convinced I'll ever be able to stop the internal downpour. These are all things I can deal with though. I mean, millions of people are dealing with some of these very same issues.

What I can't deal with any more, is the fact that while I work hard, I work hard for nothing important. Scratch that, I work hard for nobody important. Very few people do. Upper management at countless companies will try to say otherwise, but the truth is, a small percentage of people enjoy what they're doing. There aren't that many jobs that leave people feeling important, accomplished or appreciated.

So here I am, left with the realization that I could be in a boat of debt for a very long time, feeling sorry for myself. I could work off my financial hardship in a company with slightly higher pay. I could be a drone for corporate America until I've saved enough to retire. Maybe I'll have enough in my 401k to see the world, or as much of it as I can with weakened joints and looming medical bills. Maybe I'll start a family and give them a prime example of what it means to be a hard working man and an outstanding parent.

I don't want to be just an outstanding parent though. I want to be an outstanding person. I want to be someone who changes the course of peoples lives. I want to inspire children to explore their true potential. I want help parents grow with their kids and nurture responsibility. I want to fill my 401k with memories and success stories of fully grown students. Most of all, I want to show my children and loved ones the importance of doing something that makes you happy, even if it means not having a ferrari.

So, yes. I want to be a teacher.

If you want to check in now and then, I'll have posts with details of my journey.