Kiranjeet Kaur (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer
We have excellent intentions when we inspire someone, but the real question is whether we are doing it correctly. What if the individual isn’t ready yet, but will be in the future? It is human nature to want to see results immediately, and this can cause us to get quite anxious. Let me tell you about a time when someone inspired me and it took me 20 years to act on that inspiration. That individual who kept urging me never gave up, and I am grateful for that.
I met a wonderful woman in my university chemistry class when I was 20 years old, and she recognized something in me and encouraged me to become a psychologist. I thanked her for the compliment, but I was focused on becoming a registered nurse and earning a degree. She kept nudging me, saying that this was the ideal path for me, since she admired how good of a listener I was and how insightful I was from my own and other people’s experiences.
I used to think about what she said now and then, especially when I failed several of my program’s classes, but I couldn’t bring myself to do anything about it, since I was terrified. My parents were certain that I should only pursue a career as an RN because they wanted me to be able to make money immediately after graduation and have a recession-proof job.
In my third year, I pulled out of the program and became sad, believing that I had failed my parents and myself. I felt my life was finished, since I wasn’t following society’s prescribed path. I had time to get back on track, but my parents couldn’t handle the disappointment and chose to make life-changing decisions for me.
When I relocated to another province, my friend used to send me books and letters to stay in touch with me. I’d read a few pages before putting the book down, feeling motivated and ready to check into universities in my area to enroll in a psychology program, but something always seemed to get in the way, and at the time, it was me putting my family first.
I’ve finally begun pursuing my passion by taking part-time classes, which I’m truly enjoying. I value the age and experience I bring to the table, and I have had time to process the emotions I have experienced. I picture this as a lovely tapestry: the front of the tapestry is a gorgeous woven masterpiece, but when you flip it over, you can see how untidy it is, with various threads scattered about, knots tied everywhere, exposing the raw materials used. Yes, it took me time to chase my dreams, but just like the back of the tapestry, I enjoyed the road I took to get there.
—
Kiranjeet Kaur is a married mother of two teenagers. She was born in Castlegar, British Columbia, raised in Alberta and spent most of her life in British Columbia. She has attended Mount Royal University, the University of Calgary and Bow Valley College, and enjoys reading, cooking and taking walks in the woods.