Dynamite comes in small packages

My daughter is in her last year at school.  She changed her mind halfway through the year about what to study - right at that point when she should be starting to apply for further study. Never did it occur to me to insist she continue with her previous plans.  Her plans changed because she realized her passion.  She wants to be a paramedic.  Perhaps its the fact that I wanted to do exactly the same thing (I had never told her this - she started high school and joined the first aid team, never knowing I used to do first aid as a teenager).  My teachers and parents convinced me it wasn't the thing to do. Some told me I couldn't because it's a man's job. Some told me it's a nothing job. I listened and went on to do admin. I'm still stuck there.

Many people are dead set against her studying paramedics.  She's so tiny they're not sure she'll manage. I assure them that I am 100% behind her choice.  And if she comes home from her first day on the job and decides it's not for her, it's not the end of the world.  She would have a massive kick-start in life with the first aid training. Her goal is to head towards trauma counseling.  I know she would be ideal in that kind of position. She's non-judgemental and has the ability to remove herself from people's drama (after she's helped them sort out their dilemma). People know they can approach her with problems, and know that their conversation stays between them.


Just to prove that dynamite comes in small packages. Last night my son was trying to massage out the knots in my neck/ shoulder.  He's a big boy but lacks the power when doing something like that (he offered to sit on me - I told him he may squash me flat, so rather not... and it wouldn't solve the problem).  My daughter walked past and told him how he should do it.  I asked her to try get the knot.  I was not prepared for her strength.  She got stuck into the stubborn knot and the pain it had caused for a few weeks subsided.

Every day I realize more and more that I've raised a strong, independent daughter. She's dealt with situations with more maturity than many adults. She knows what she wants, and she's not afraid to pursue her dreams.