Last night, I had a girls' night out with a group of friends from the neighborhood. We went for Italian and the chef made me my favorite dish, pasta with an evil salmon cream sauce. So worth the calories. When I came home, the babysitter told me that Sabrina, who's 3, informed her that she's going to be a doctor when she grows up, because she wants to give shots. Then Sabrina gave her an exam.
Sabrina's really into pretend play. Max is, too, to some extent. He loves to wear his fireman's coat and hat. Or push around cars on the floor and make them crash. He's not yet able to grasp more conceptual things like what it means to "grow up," but hopefully that will come.
It's hard to imagine what Max might "be" someday; I am so focused on his present and wanting him to speak more words and be able to feed himself. Looking into the future is scary. Inevitably, I think about the Quiznos guy. Dave and I once went there for a sandwich, and there was a cognitively impaired man working behind the counter. As I watched him struggle to put together a turkey sub I wondered whether Max might end up with that sort of job. When I got back to the car, I sobbed at the thought of it.
So, I try not to think about the Quiznos guy, and keep my eyes on Max in the here and now. Like how adorable he is when we play choo-choo train around the house, or when he grabs the little rubber Mater truck he sleeps with (from his favorite movie, Cars) and "drives" it all over my body in the morning. He's got imagination, he's got personality, he's got smarts, he's got potential.
What hopes do you have for your children's future?
