When I was a little girl, I desperately wanted to be Encyclopedia Brown. Sure, I went through phases where I wanted to be a teacher, or a ballerina… or that brief period of time (cough most of fourth grade cough) where I regularly fantasized that Vanessa Williams would be unable to sing “Colors of the Wind” and Disney would ask me to replace her. But at the end of the day, I wanted to be a detective. Brother and I even had a “detective agency” for a short period of time where we climbed trees and hoped that our geriatric, Catholic neighbors might harbor secrets belied by their single-story ranch homes. As I grew older, Encyclopedia made way for Nancy Drew.
Things rarely go according to plan. If they did, the world would be filled with princesses and pirates and a few weird kids who grew up knowing they wanted to be dentists. I may not be opening up a detective agency anytime soon, but I can still Google stalk the shit out of you.
I have a new friend who is currently spending the next few months in Antarctica, living an adventure most of us can only dream of experiencing. Through his pictures and stories, I’ve begun to rediscover my own sense of adventure and whimsy. It’s been easy to lose in the echo chamber that is law school. We’ve discussed our mutual desire to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, a dream I’ve long held but never fully believed would be crossed off of the list. I’ve vowed in recent years to make fewer lists and more memories. I’ve started climbing trees again, in part, because of him.
The aim of life is self-development. To realize one’s nature perfectly – that is what each of us is here for.
- Oscar Wilde
Tags: career, dreams, Encyclopedia Brown, life, literati, Mt. Kilimanjaro
One Response to “Detective Work”