What I Want to Be When I Grow Up
One of the hardest questions that is posed to most all of us at one point or another is, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Here are some thoughts about my answer.
About the Otter
Does this seem like a jump? Well stick with me. The reason we are learning a bit about the otter today on Father’s Day is that whenever someone asks my dad what he want to be when he grows up, he tells them he wants to be an otter. Noting primarily that the otter can be playful, relaxed, and care free drifting along the river. Here are some pieces that make the otter special.
A Mammal By Many Names
The Otter goes by many names. Sea Otter, River Otter, Lutrinae, Lutra Lutra, Lontra Canadensis, Enhydra Lutris, and of course “Look over there mom! Isn’t he cute?”
All the Fur
Otters are known for having the densest for of any animal, a thousand times denser than human hair. This is what helps them to build a bubble layer in their fur which allows them to be so buoyant.
A Social Animal
Otters are social animals that can live in groups called rafts. They can at times live alone, but are regularly found in rafts or in pairs.
Scat Dances and Rock Juggling
Otters are extremely playful animals. They have some fancy moves of their own such as scat dances, a funny little post scat scoot. Otters are also known to juggle which has fascinated researchers as this skill does not serve any survival, hunting, or gathering skill. Otters are one of few animals that are known to play as adults.
Reserving Strength
Some otters do not have typical sharp claws that others have, and instead have rounded, blunt claws or no claws at all.
Values Connection
One of the most undeniably adorable things about otters are that they often hold hands while they sleep. This is to help make sure that they do not float away from one another and that they stay anchored close to each other as well as their food source.
An Endangered Breed
Most types of otters are on the endangered species list, with one otter being considered a Lazarus species as it was found in the wild after being thought extinct.
About My Dad
As it would turn out, my dad happens to have quite a bit in common with the otter.
A Mammal By Many Names
Dad also happens to go by many names. Dave, David, Dad, Daddy, Chief, The Hammer, Tank, and of course “Look over there mom! Isn’t he cute?”
All the Fur
Despite now featuring a polished dome, Dad used to not only a fine head of hair, but once sported a perm. He took the preemptive strike against male pattern baldness and is now the first to know if it is raining. It is surprisingly of no comfort to him when I share that he didn’t really lose his hair… it just migrated to his back, making him the animal with the second densest fur..
A Social Animal
Dad is easy to connect with and very welcoming. He uses his skills with people not only as a good friend, father, and family member, but also as an educator. He has always but a high value on training and being able to learn more. This has led him to attend national conferences and training opportunities while serving on leadership committees for emergency response and disaster preparedness.
Scat Dances and Rock Juggling
Dad knows how to have fun. He is always able to get in a good joke, roll with punches, and is a good sport about giving new things a try. Whenever we hang out or do something new, I know it is going to be a good time. Some of Dad’s most popular tricks that the Otter would approve of are: suction cupping Nerf darts to his head, playing Morrie (their dog) like a bongo, his never-ending supply of “dad noises”, and going 1.3 million to zero in our lifetime racquetball tournament (myself being the zero… someday I’ll eek out a victory… someday…).
Reserving Strength
One of my favorite archetypes in literature and film is the gentle giant. Whether that is Andre, The Iron Giant, or Lou Ferigno, I have always been impressed by beings of great strength who choose to use their strength of character before their physical power. Dad has great physical strength, but above that, he is a man of great honor and integrity who uses his strengths to enable others around him to be their best. There is very little that he is unable to do, and in the rare case that he isn’t able to do something, he’ll be the guy to design a tool to use to make it happen.
Values Connection
I am deeply grateful for the relationship that we have, particularly now that I am an adult. I still carry a lot of regret, and likely always will, around my high school years. One of the people that has been the best to me in my life is one of the people who I hurt the most. I was so eager to grow up and have freedoms and independence that I overlooked all the sacrifices that had been and were being made for me. I see now that there are countless ways I may never even know that he fought for me and our family. Although we butted heads throughout high school, he never turned away. As I was out on my own and we were able to rebuild our connection, it built back even stronger than it had been before. I am humbled that he looked beyond the spats and saw in me what I couldn’t find a way to show. I am lucky to have him in my life as my Dad, and as my best friend.
An Endangered Breed
People like Dad are hard to find. I have never met anyone in my life who shows up so consistently and always seems to follow an inner compass which allows him to be looked to when others might feel lost. He is someone that is going to do the right thing and fight for it. Dad is one of those guys you want to be in the room where decisions are made. He excels as a leader in his work, family, and community. It continues to impress me how often he shows up. I am hard pressed to think of a time that I’ve called on him that he didn’t have a way to be there, including times when I wasn’t able to ask and he showed up anyways. I can only hope that I will find half the strength to be a force in the lives of others like he has been in mine.
My dad always tells people he wants to be an otter when he grows up. What I want when I grow up, is to be like my dad.
Call-To-Action
Who do you look up to in your life? How might you be able to share with them that they make a difference and that you appreciate them? What pieces of them do you carry within you? Grow into and learn from the connections in your life while you grow within yourself.