What Are You Doing For the Rest of Your Life?
Originally posted on January 19, 2007
What Are You Doing For the Rest of Your Life?
Kaida: I’m really sorry about your hand.
Kenzo: It will be better soon.
Kaida: But I feel so guilty. If I wasn’t fooling around…
Kenzo: It might have happened anyway. Or maybe you would have been hurt and I would have been the one feeling bad.
Kaida: And the doc said it would heal completely? No scars? No problems playing your violin?
Kenzo: It will be perfect and back to normal in no time. Don’t worry!
Kaida: Kenzo?
Kenzo: Hmmm?
Kaida: Tell me about your music…. What made you start playing…. and…. why have you decided… to make it your future?
Kenzo: Well, it all started when I was a little kid, with those Suzuki violin classes my parents put me into. I liked it, and I was pretty good at it, so I kept up the lessons, and... it's just part of me. I don't overanalyze it, really... the best way I can put it is, music makes the rest of my life go smoother -- kinda like meditating. I like that I can make a career of it... not that I'll necessarily make my fortune at it, but -- who knows. Soccer is the same way. They sort of balance each other, too.
Kaida: (sighs) I still wish I could find something…. that meant as much to me as your music means to you.
Kenzo: You’ll find something. You’re good at a lot of stuff, so you’ll have lots of choices.
Kaida: (glumly) Yeah, maybe.
Kenzo: Of all the things you’ve tried, what was your favorite?
Kaida: Nothing really, nothing lasted. But I wonder……. Kohana has this idea…. of something she thinks I would be good at, only it’s not really something I can “try out”, like dancing or acting.
Kenzo: So what is it? And what do you think of her idea?
Kaida: It’s pretty interesting, actually. Kohana thinks I would make a good psychotherapist. Not now of course, but after lots and lots of training. And I like talking to people, finding out what makes them like they are, but more important, I like helping them.
Kenzo: You would be so good at that, Kaida. You could put your natural nosiness to good use!
Kaida: I should be insulted by that, but it’s too true! You’re right, I could like, be an official meddler or something, and with a license! I still think I would need to try it out though, and I don’t know how I could do that.
Kenzo: Okay, here’s a plan. Next year as a senior you can take electives, right?
Kaida: Sure.
Kenzo: So take all the Psych electives you can…
Kaida: I can do that.
Kenzo: But for now, just read everything you can on the subject.
Kaida: I can do that too.
Kenzo: Then this summer, after you’ve done all that reading, find some…errr…people who could use the services of a good psychotherapist and just observe them.
Kaida: I can’t do that. Where am I going to find a bunch people like that?
Kenzo: Are you forgetting about where I live?