Passion or career: opposite, yet overlapping unexpectedly;

Eighteen years given to discover life’s opportunities collectively.

After years of exploring, it is time to awaken;

Decisions must be made; risks must be taken.

 

Enthusiasm, excitement, fervor if you would;

All felt when pursuing new passions since childhood.

Inserting myself into situations out of lust;

Going outside my comfort zone; it was a must.

 

Cats have been a passion of mine since before I can remember;

After discovering their contrary and curious tendencies, I understand them better.

Can cats be incorporated into a profession? The possibilities are vast

“Mommy, I want to be a vet!” I conclude at last.

 

Gymnastics at the age of eleven became an even greater passion of mine.

My quick advance through the levels and countless hours of time

Gave me no doubt that I would be able to thrive in this sport:

“Mommy, I want to be a professional gymnast,” I report.

 

My passion for ice cream and its heavenly taste

Inspired my pursuit of a job at the Creamery with haste.

The positive environment and happy customers helped me consider a new aim:

“Mom, I want to establish my own Ice Cream Shop,” I exclaim.

 

Though I learned my multiplication tables at the age of five,

High school mathematics confirmed that math is where I thrive.

Unlike many, I love spending hours solving math problems to completion:

“Math is definitely the career I want to pursue,” I announce with exhilaration.

 

So many possibilities for a potential career path;

My experiences uncovered many passions beyond math.

But I finally discovered a way to combine most of my passions,

In order to pursue a future profession with personal satisfaction.

 

During my mission trip to the Dominican Republic my junior year,

We distributed water filters and planted crops; our purpose was clear.

We knew our efforts after we left must remain sustainable,

We trained citizens with skills to make self-sufficiency obtainable.

 

Our gardening project prior to the upcoming school year,

Was when I combined my passions and profession in hope of being an engineer.

Towards the middle of the trip we were assigned a challenge to embrace,

Given these garden panels and seeds, they told us to maximize the space,

 

So that Dominican children who attend this local school,

Will have future food insufficiencies that are only miniscule.

After considering multiple ways to maximize the garden space, Ah hah! An epiphany!

Form a pyramid with the panels to maximize growing space efficiently.

 

Leading the project and delegating tasks became my role;

Providing for the underprivileged without creating dependency being our goal.

There were many skills learned from my experiences on this trip,

Such as problem-solving, cultural sensitivity, and responsible leadership.

 

Combining these skills and my desire to make an impact on a global scale,

I concluded engineering is the profession that will prevail.

Above all careers I have considered throughout my life,

It encompasses my passions and feels just right.

 

Not all my passions could be incorporated into this career choice,

But the only way to be successful is to be guided by my inner voice.

Most importantly to do what you love and love what you do,

Because if not, your discontent will eventually haunt you!