The reluctant botanist
By rosyrose
@vickyrose (2236)
Cooma, Australia
February 18, 2017 12:10am CST
When I was younger, I wanted to be a botanist but Dad discouraged me, he wanted me to be a doctor or a nurse, a more practical career then.
I met him halfway as I'm not cut for the medical profession I became a very reluctant economist with political science as a minor.
Now, Dad is gone but knowing him he would have let me.. not too late, I'm propagating some camote (sweet potatoes) at home. So easy, just leave them alone and they thrive! Plants are amazing. Just love them....a great Saturday to all!
Did your parents influence you in your career or choice of partners?
9 people like this
10 responses
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
5 Mar 17
This is pretty fascinating to me as I did not know you could do this with sweet potatoes. I grow potatoes this way but never thought about sweet potatoes growing the same way. I plant the eyes in dirt and let them grow. How come there is a little cup of water with this?
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153530)
• India
19 Feb 17
Growing sweet potatoes is easy but we have the mongoose issue. They dig out the stuff
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (24004)
• United Kingdom
18 Feb 17
No not at all. I knew more or less what I wanted to do although I changed my career much to my fathers annoyance. In someways I wish I had taken up their offer of seeing me through medical school but I did not want to burden them. I think if I turned the clock back I would have done in retrospect. But you make life as comfortable and as interesting with what you have achieved and there are greater opportunities now for younger people if they aspire to do something about it.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
18 Feb 17
My parents discouraged further education for their daughters. My sister became a nurse....then I was pushed toward nursing....I fought back, got married, had children, worked on a farm and eventually opened my own store.
1 person likes this
@luisadannointed (11848)
• Philippines
18 Feb 17
I can't remember anymore. I was so pressured At that time on what course to take and earn money after. But none of the plans I made after college came true. I was still struggling. But I am glad that my course did really help me to survive to get some earnings.
That is why you also have cat grass.... Because you really like plants. God bless.
1 person likes this
@Letranknight2015 (52665)
• Philippines
18 Feb 17
I just discovered that I have green thumb last year, if not for my uric acid problem that led me to plant veggies.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (35007)
• United Kingdom
5 Jun 17
My mother put me off when I wanted to be a vet, telling me that treating large animals like cattle and horses would be too difficult for a woman. Years later she used to regularly tell me what a lovely young lady vet (a series of them) she had coming to treat her cattle!
