How my dream occupation ambition was dashed

I can remember that while we were young, we were usually asked about our preferred profession and what we would love to be in the future. Each time such a question is asked, it's usually funny how I'm odd among every child because, unlike others who choose white-collar jobs like doctors, lawyers, engineers, and many others, instead I usually respond by saying I'd love to be a hairdresser or a fashion designer, which to them was odd and was deemed a profession for the uneducated.

I encountered a lot of criticism and mockery from my classmates, teachers, and parents who are trying to force another profession on me because, to them, my choice of profession isn't an idea for someone who's educated or wants to go through every possible state in their academic career. Well, despite all of those things I passed through, I never once wished for or admired Any white-collar jobs; instead, my love for fashion designers and hair stylists waxed stronger.

Even now, after over 20 years, my choices haven't changed, despite passing through the university, graduating, and even working in a white-collar field. It's worthy of note that I'm not as wowed about it as I was about my show-crafted, loved profession. Well, to shed more light on this and how it plays out, I'll be sharing my experience below.

My dream occupation: So straight to the key points of the prompt, as regards my dream occupation, I've always dreamt of being a fashion designer or a hair stylist from my tender age, and I can vividly tell you without a doubt that if I'm to become rich in the nearest future, then I'll build a fashion house that cuts across every aspect of fashion-related fields like tailoring, hairdressing, barbing, shoe making, and the likes.

Am I doing my dream occupation?: The answer to this is a big no, although I did learn one of them, that's fashion design, and even became a professional who once used it as a source of income, but I'm no longer into it; instead, I'm now a teacher who teaches In one of the public schools in Lagos State, Nigeria.

Why not?: Well, the answer to this isn't far-fetched, but then one of the misleading things children go through at the hands of their dictator teachers, parents, or guardians is that we've seen a number of situations where a child prefers a course, but the parent impulses another one because they felt they knew better and wanted the best for their child. I'm not disputing their importance in helping a child decide their future, but it shouldn't be dictating, but observing the child's interest and helping them nurture it if the child says that's what he or she wants.

In my case, for example, I wanted to be a hair stylist or fashion designer, but my parents and guardians were 100 percent against it. I can remember my dad even forbidding me from visiting any of these stores, not to mention learning there, because otherwise he wouldn't fulfill his fatherly right. Well, I can't totally blame him. I guess being a highly educated individual who worked in the fields of education made him feel that learning such trades would bring embarrassment to his name.

I guess had he known better that learning such doesn't necessarily prevent me from focusing on my academics, well, that was how the dream was brought to a halt until I gained admission into the university and decided to go learn the trade now that I'm far away from my dad's monitoring eyes, so I learned tailoring during my undergraduate days and became a pro at it.

Fast forward a few years after, my dad saw some of my numerous WhatsApp ads of my craft and requested I sew a cloth for him. I was like, What, weren't you the one who was headband on me not to learn this? Well, to cut a long story short, I did sew the clothes for him, and he so much loved them, to the point that he wouldn't stop wearing them and showing his friends and colleagues that his son was the one who sewed them.

Well, I stopped sewing a few years ago after a particular occurrence in my life and then learned shoemaking during my national service year. I still make shoes once in a while, but I'm fully a teacher; that's my profession presently. I also love teaching, but it certainly doesn't hold the same affection in my heart as being a fashion designer.

That's all on my dream occupation, which was written in response to the hive learners community features prompt. Thanks for your time and support, and stay blessed.

NOTE: All thumbnails were designed by me on canva.