A recent post at FMH struck a chord with some of the thoughts that have been bouncing around my head lately. And then there was John's post, which is kind of related to some of those bouncing thoughts.
A word that was introduced in a comment to the FMH post is multi-potentiality—the idea that we each have potential in many different areas that all contribute to our overall potential. And as I tend to do, I made a parallel to science—in particular, stem cells. (Yes, here’s your mini-science lesson for this post. I’m sorry! I can’t help it!)
Totipotent stem cells are cells in which the developmental potential of the cells is unlimited. An entire organism can develop from these cells.
The developmental potential of pluripotent stem cells is also unfixed (but not quite unlimited). An entire organism cannot be formed from just these cells because these cells have lost the ability to form placental tissue.
Multi-potent stem cells are somewhat specialized, but are still not fully differentiated, and multiple cell types can still arise from these cells.
I can look back on my life and clearly see where I have made some decisions that have “specialized” me in my development. I did well in high school. I decided to attend BYU. I majored in animal science. I didn’t attend vet school, etc. But I don’t feel like I’ve lost overall potential in choosing some things over others. I don’t feel like a fully differentiated cell. I don’t feel like my destiny is determined because I’ve followed certain paths and not others.
A few weeks ago I was a chaperone on a youth temple trip. I was the towel lady. Towards the end of the evening, the Baptistry Director came to me and whispered, “You are really doing a great job! Thank you.”
My initial thought was, “I’m the towel lady, nothing to it.” But he had noticed that in between handing out towels I was helping people be where they needed to be and otherwise helping the whole process run smoothly.
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I was talking to someone recently about perhaps leaving bench science. He responded, “Wouldn’t that be a waste of your PhD?”
I wanted to say “Bite me” or something else much less lady-like.
Yes, I’ve been trained as a scientist, but the skills I’ve acquired (critical analysis, problem solving, oral and written communication, multi-tasking to name a few) are ones that are useful in a broad range of fields—even in the temple baptistry.
I’ve had a number of dreams lately with the recurring theme of houses. Specifically, I’m showing family around my newly acquired house. As I approach doorways I begin telling my plans for the next room, but when I open the door, it’s not the room I thought it was. One of the interpretations that has been suggested is that the rooms represent “unrealized potential.” Maybe my self-conscious is trying to tell me that I need to find out what really is behind those doors in my “house.”
4 comments:
As someone who IS leaving science in a few short weeks it is interesting to hear people's response when I tell them. People seem to fall into two categories; the first, where they congratulate me on following my dreams and being able to do something that is fulfilling to me, the second, who wonder why I would ever WASTE an education.
All I know is that I will be happy, it's like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders and it won't seem like work to me... what more could I ask?
Ironic that the "credentialed and learned" know so much about the perils of leaving science. If they haven't experienced it themselves, they must have read about it in a peer-reviewed article somewhere...
What you will do for gravity when you leave science? I hear that inertia is the next to fail you. Newton is not kind to traitors.
I myself try not to let my previous experiences, education, or credentials prevent me from trying to learn the lessons that life is prepared to teach me.
I've thought a lot about this post, Sonnet. Thanks for writing it. I remember a lady from my church, someone I've known since I was pretty young, who told my mom that being a stay-at-home mom was a waste of my education. I thought how blunt, and how closed-minded of her. I appreciated the FMH post that I read as well. It can be frustrating, thinking that I'm spinning my wheels folding the same basket of clothes over and over and over again, etc. I try to find my worth as a person and my value to society. But then I realize potential within potential - I'd never been a stay-at-home mom before, so I didn't know what my strenghts and weaknesses were. I like what you said, that your destiny didn't happen because you followed certain paths and not others. And "path" is a good way to put it. Life is definitely a journey, however cliche that might sound. This season of my life, I am a stay-at-home mom. I'm excited to see if or how this journey will change just down the road a bit.
1 and 1 are .......
2,3, 11, or are we talking bunnies?
Or is it me and God? If so the answer is beyond my ability to describe -- even if I got my own blog.
There is nothing more divine then accepting Heavenly Father's instructions, be what they may. It may not be the path/ existence I would choose, science, the world, nor the nay saying natterers.
So keep up the great work Doc. What ever it may be.
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