High school predictions

I recently came across a clipping from the school newspaper during my senior year of high school. It was one of those silly little writing exercises someone did, projecting people's futures, and having a little fun with some of our classmates.

"Most likely to become a millionaire before age 30..."

"Most likely to become a used car salesman..."

"Most likely to become president of the USA..."

"Most likely to become a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader..."

"Most likely to become mother of 10 children..."

"Most likely to be the father of those 10 children..."

The very last item in the list said,

"Most likely to become an IBM computer: David Kenison."

Yeah, I was known mostly as the nerdy kid in high school. However, at the time, I had no intention of a career in computers. A lot of things interested me more and seemed more practical. Computers in 1974 were huge, very expensive, and used only by big companies and research institutions. The ideas of personal computers, user-focused applications, networking, and smart devices were a long way off.

Ironically though, I actually did fulfill the prediction. I earned a degree in computer science, and then my first job was to compute for IBM - so I was an IBM computer! (Or at least a writer of computer software for good old Big Blue.)

It would have been interesting to ask the high school seniors in 1974 where they would envision themselves in 10 or 20 years, or 47 years. I doubt many of us back then would have been very accurate in our projections. Life has a way of sending us in unexpected directions.

But yet, it's a very worthwhile question. Where do I want to go? Where to I expect to be in the future, short-term and long-term? What are my goals, dreams? What interests me, excites me? How will I get there? What can I do NOW to be where I want to be THEN?

I #GiveThanks for the paths in my life, expected and unexpected, that have led me to where I am today. And for the ability to participate in choosing my path into the future.