Borrowed Decisions

"What is it that you want to become when you grow up? Someone asked me this question for the first time in class 2.. It so happened that I had painted a nice fish in the art class that day for which I got 3 stars and I was mighty pleased with myself. So I said "Painter" without batting an eyelid,not realising that such a career option would be considered nothing less than blasphemy later on in life..
I distinctly remember some of my classmates giving equally,if not more, interesting answers like 'Sailor','Magician','Florist'etc etc..There were some who wanted to become 'Superman' or 'He-man' and there were some girls who were fascinated with barbie dolls and wanted to own a house like one of those doll houses(I admit,even I was crazy abt dolls then.)
So you see..even though some of the answers given were absolutely ridiculous,no one objected coz we were just kids and the answers given were something which were very honest and our own.
Yesterday,after I had just finished my dance class and was on my way out, a little girl stopped me(she's the sister of one of the students in my class)she me gave a toffee,I smilingly accepted and thanked her.Then she asked me "Are you in college?"
I replied in the affirmative.She smiled and then asked " Are you studying in Sri Chaitanya college or Narayana college?Have you finished your BiPC?" (that's bio,physics,chem) I was surprised that she knew about it because she was hardly 6 years old.I told her that I had finished it long time ago and I was presently doing BSc.She had a puzzled look on her face and then asked me "What do you want to do when you grow up?" I was amused at her innocent question and said 'Scientist'.She got even more confused.Now I asked her what she would want to become when she grew up,she said mechanically 'doctor' I asked her why had she made that choice and she said "Because my sister is doing BiPC too and I want to be like her"
All the way back home I was wondering about that little girl and was remembering the day when I was first asked this question..and then I recalled my days as a student in intermediate when I was taken into the "MBBS-Engineer" phenomenon.I was told back then that life is not worth living if you are not a doctor after taking up BiPC.Those days were hard,I experienced some of my darkest moments then.But I ultimately realised that medicine was not the thing for me and the rest they say is history.
I may not be succesful yet but I know I will be happy in my chosen vocation.The decisions I make,whether right or wrong,will be mine and mine alone.I hope the same for the little girl too.