Chapter 4. Time to put away "childish things": moments that determine careers
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
- Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken
"In our last session, we went to an early memory of 'heaven.'" Dr Virgil is sitting in a chair across from CW.
"This time I want you to go to a moment in time when you consciously chose to study engineering. When you can see that moment in your mind's eye, keep your eyes closed and describe what you see, hear, smell, touch, feel…"
I’m sitting at my mother's Blüthner. Playing the Goldberg Variations. Totally lost in the beauty of Bach’s music.
Father sits down at the bench beside me. He puts his arm around me.
"This time I want you to go to a moment in time when you consciously chose to study engineering. When you can see that moment in your mind's eye, keep your eyes closed and describe what you see, hear, smell, touch, feel…"
I’m sitting at my mother's Blüthner. Playing the Goldberg Variations. Totally lost in the beauty of Bach’s music.
Father sits down at the bench beside me. He puts his arm around me.
“Your mother would have been so proud of you last night.
"Your recital brought people to tears and then brought them to their feet.
"I wish she could have been here to witness your triumph."
He pauses for a beat.
"Your recital brought people to tears and then brought them to their feet.
"I wish she could have been here to witness your triumph."
He pauses for a beat.
Then he hands me an envelope.
It's open.
There are tears in his eyes.
My admission letter to MIT.
“Son, I couldn’t be more proud of you. I went to a good engineering school but I could never have gotten into MIT. An engineer from MIT can write his own ticket.”
I could feel his pride. I knew what this meant to him.
He was doing the best he knew how. I bit my tongue. And, stifled my dreams.
I knew it was time to "put away childish things." It was time to take the adult path. To go into engineering.
As you read this, ask:
It's open.
There are tears in his eyes.
My admission letter to MIT.
“Son, I couldn’t be more proud of you. I went to a good engineering school but I could never have gotten into MIT. An engineer from MIT can write his own ticket.”
I could feel his pride. I knew what this meant to him.
He was doing the best he knew how. I bit my tongue. And, stifled my dreams.
I knew it was time to "put away childish things." It was time to take the adult path. To go into engineering.
As you read this, ask:
- CW is in "hell." Why does Dr Virgil ask him to go to an early memory of choosing to study engineering?
- What elements of CW's memory stand out to you? Why?
- What academic options do you think CW was considering?
- The father is doing the best he can to praise and encourage his son. How did his actions on the piano bench prime CW towards a certain career? In and of itself, is there anything wrong with the father's prompting?
- How did your home life prime you for the career you have?
- Carl Jung once said, "The greatest burden a child must bear is the unlived life of its parents."
- How does this come in to play for CW?
- Are you "burdened" with your own parents' unlived life?
- Go to a moment in time when you chose your academic major? Where are you? What's going on in the physical environment? The emotional environment? Why did you choose this path?