When you were five, what did you want to be when you grew up?

This question first made me think of an old, funny song by Danny Kaye, aptly titled I’m Five. It’s definitely worth a listen! The whole album is great, but it’s hard to find. My favorite song on the album is probably Don’t Tickle Me.

As for my answer to the daily prompt, I don’t recall thinking much about what I wanted to be when I grew up. I didn’t really think much about growing up. Each day had enough uncertainty, I just wanted to be safe. I don’t think children raised in unsafe, uncertain conditions really have the luxury to think very far ahead.

When I was around that age, I wore a plastic fireman’s hat around a lot. My grandparents gave it to me. So maybe I wanted to be a fireman? Or maybe I just saw firemen as rescuers and felt some sense of safety by wearing that hat? Or maybe I attached it to my grandparents, whom I did consider to be safe.

What I really wanted to be when I grew up was, in a word, safe. Or maybe, as Dr. Dan Siegel would say, I just wanted to be safe, seen, soothed and secure. When I was allowed to be with them, my grandparents represented all those things to me. For that, I’ll always be grateful!