I was surprised. It's not that I don't think he could be a doctor. In fact, he'd make a great doctor. He is naturally kind and caring, deeply empathetic, has a great way with people, and is servant-hearted. And yet, all those wonderful qualities hardly even feature when we thinking about what people need in order to become something as 'accomplished' as a doctor.
You see, my son, like many other middle children (not that it's necessarily a factor here), is different to both his brother and sister. Not only does he look different to them, his personality is entirely opposite to theirs. Where they are intense and need to be stimulated all the time, he is quietly curious. While they set themselves academic challenges from letter identification to complex mathematic sums, he is using his design eye to upgrade bird houses and construct practical solutions to real world problems. Where they are always steaming from one place to the next in pursuit of productivity and efficiency, he is enjoying the journey, taking it all in as he takes his time.
It's an important caution to me that regardless of whatever our society - or education system - is using to measure and, let's be honest, rank our children's potential by, we are not to be caught up in the belief that it is all they are capable of. There is no pecking order; no hierarchy of preferable traits. Each person has been uniquely and purposefully designed with strengths and talents that are not just valuable, but also necessary - for them, as well as those they come into contact with. Everyone is more than enough, just as they are.
As we find ourselves at the end of another school year, let's be intentional about celebrating who our children are rather than only what they may have achieved over the last 12 months. They can be that doctor (or whatever else they want to be) yet.
💖💖💖
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