who gives a shit

"Not everyone can be a doctor," this was said to my mother by someone whose own daughter is a doctor as they discuss (and probably compare) their children. And this person thought she has the upper hand because her own child is now a successful doctor while I am still a post graduate who's about to enter a semi-nomadic lifestyle of being a Peace Corps volunteer. She even told my mom, "I wouldn't let her go to Africa if she was my kid." And she probably thought that she would appear sympathy trying to 'comfort' my mother in light of me leaving for a poor 3rd world country.

And for that, I feel bad for my mother having to listen to this person gloats, but that's the only thing I feel bad about. To the rest, I say, who gives a shit.

So what if I'm not a doctor. I have plenty of friends who are studying to be doctors, and that's cool because that's what they want to do. Not me. Chemistry excites me as much okra, and okra is gross. I don't want to be a doctor, and I'm okay with it. I don't want to touch, cut, feel, heal people. But I still want to help them... in some other ways. My mother is still getting used to it, and she'll come around, so really, who cares about what you think, dear person who probably don't even know what the box is to even phantom the idea of thinking outside it.

But then of course, this is a norm in the Vietnamese/Asian culture. People living against a master standard and if something/someone doesn't measure up to it, it's considered worthless. Again, if you ask me, I say, fuck that shit.

I don't need to be conventional or follow any traditions against my will. I will do whatever I please, and I will make it. I won't be a doctor but I will do other things, and hopefully in the process, make my mom (and dad, and grandpa and grandma and other people who care) proud. Just you wait inside your box and see, if you can even see that far outside the lines.