[dropcap]D[/dropcap]uring childhood, I wanted to go to into politics. I wanted to make a difference in the world. To enrich others lives and help them was my goal. It did not matter how I did this but The Oval Office and The Supreme Court were always options.
When President Ronald Reagan had talked about how we could sleep better at night, that the cold war was over. I did sleep better that night and never worried the rest of my young adult life about World War III or the USSR. When Challenger exploded I was devastated. As children, we saw these people blow up over and over again on the news. President Reagan addressed the nation and it was his words that brought me comfort and peace. Over and over again he let me see hope and know comfort. That is what I wanted to do for others.
Childhood Dreams versus Adult Reality
I became politically active in women’s causes and in the Young Republicans. Then an insurance agent and went to work in a law firm, working with Insurance Law and Workers Compensation. I had planned on moving from there slowly to the political arena. There was a problem in my career path. When I had begun working in insurance I really was helping people. I would struggle to get them every discount, run outside to get the checks from people with disabilities, it was hands-on and personal. As larger insurance companies gobbled up the little ones that changed. The law aspect was even worse.
The start of the change from Reagan Republican to something else was happening. I associated less with my party. My childhood dream was over when I was old enough to understand what Reagan said about government being the problem. The same with big business. I still wanted to touch peoples lives and be that comfort people could turn to, I still wanted to change the world. The only way I knew to do that was one person, one smile, one hug, one kind word at a time.
What did I decide I wanted to be when I grew up?
I decided I did not want to grow up! I am learning to be a clown and doing what I have always loved, genealogy.