Living Beyond Your Dreams

By Carl Studna

As a child, do you remember the dreams that you had for your life? Perhaps they were filled with wonder, adventure and creativity.  Growing up within the traditional school system in the mid-sixties, the occupational suggestions offered to young boys was fairly limited to a doctor, lawyer, accountant, architect, engineer, etc. Young girls might have been offered options beyond the traditional housewife as a nurse, secretary, dental hygienist, or clerk. Not to say that there weren’t exceptions, but this limited mindset largely prevailed in the United States until the late sixties began to shake up and question past traditional systems and gender roles.

At age eleven I can recall another occupation offered in my elementary classroom, the radical idea of being a fireman ignited my soul as it was the only out-of-the box option suggested. This unconventional occupation represented adventure, risk and the reward of potentially saving someone…