Lucy announced this week, on walk home from school, “I want to be a scientist when I grow up.” I tried to respond with calm and support and only imagined myself jumping up and down and cheering.
She's been afraid to lift her legs off the ground while the bike is moving, but shortly after this photo was taken she did it and lifted her legs up and floated. Bravery! Courage!
She can be just about anything she wants, but I have a soft spot of extra enthusiasm for girls wanting to be scientists, and also a strict promise to myself to try not to require it of her or overly emphasize it. Since this announcement she’s started describing some specific things (maybe she’s done this before and I only recently noticed) as scientist toys or scientist books or scientist play. And, oh, don’t I want to hold onto this confidence and desire and interest she has and spread it out amongst her whole life like soft butter on a pancake.
"C'mon, let's go find the puppies!"
3 responses so far ↓
Chris // May 21, 2009 at 9:43 am
Yay, scientists! So far we’ve got an interpreter (13), movie animator (10), and professional video game player (5) :o)
Couldn’t help but be reminded of this: http://www.xkcd.com/585/
Becky // May 21, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Oh, gracious, that is exciting! A fitting comment, too, as it coincides with my last day in the Physics Department. Hooray for science!
And your last sentence was one of the loveliest I’ve ever read.
xoxo
Leanne // May 21, 2009 at 3:18 pm
congrats on your last day, becky!
*love* the comic, chris! i bet if lucy thought that being a video game player was a career option she’d be r-i-g-h-t there.