Journey thats funny that you posted that song...that was the song my wife and I had our first dance at for our wedding.
We also played this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTA2buWlNyM and had all the parents and grandparents dance with us on the floor. Was a pretty special time. It also fits the thread pretty good.
Im 35 and when I look back on things, I was fresh out of high school, I have 3 younger brothers and we grew up on a teachers salary with Mom staying at home to raise us boys. College was my goal but I figured I'd have to get some $ from Uncle Sam via the military to go get my education. My plan was to join US Coast Guard and be a rescue swimmer. Jump out out of perfectly good helicopters hovering over the water and swim to stranded individuals. Super cool job right? I also wanted to serve in the Great Lakes area since its all I've known. Figured it was a perfect fit. I had even thought of making a career out of it. Well..........I went to my physical and I was told I had flat feet so I couldn't join. I told them that it meant I had flippers and was even more suited for the job!
They said no but thank you for my interest and best of luck wherever I ended up.
So then I thought ok Id go be a cop since being an MP was my plan B in the event I couldn't get into swimmer school for whatever reason. Help people, make a difference, serve and protect right? So I started taking classes at the Community College and the last class I needed to enroll into the academy was Medical First Responder (which is an advanced first aid class). I remember walking out of that class after the first day and said "I'm going to be a Paramedic". That was it. I heard the call and I answered it. I love my job.
13 years of EMS later I honestly can't imagine doing anything else with my life. I just think that if I had gone into the USCG I wouldn't have met my best friend and soulmate my wife and wouldn't have my daughter with another child on the way.
My wife and I have both talked about once the kids are older and out of the house working with the Red Cross or some other international relief organization (Doctors without borders or something like that) or even some kind of mission trip to continue to help others. We talk about how great it would be to be a part of the boots on the ground when Haiti was torn apart for example.
Other than that I'm not sure I have any regrets or things I wish I could change. I know I've made some bad decisions but nothing that I look back on and say "Oh if I had only not done _____ or why didn't I do ______" but then as I said I'm only 35 so maybe I haven't had enough time to be faced with those decisions.
