If I were to pick my career again without any pressure or constraints...

When I was in school, around middle school maybe, the topic of career choices started being discussed. At home as well as among friends, the topic of what we wanted to be when we grew up would inevitably come up every once in a while. It was time to grow beyond the childhood fantasy of becoming the engine driver of a railway train.

Engineering and Medicine were the coolest professions. Those were what all the toppers took. Wanting to become a businessman was looked upon as an excuse for not wanting to study a whole lot. Careers involving the Arts were not even considered options worth discussing.

For me, it all boiled down to either Engineering or Medicine. I did not consider, even for a moment any other profession. Unfortunately, I started meditation all of forty years later. I did not even know what my inner self wanted. I wasn’t even aware of its existence. 

Now, I have the luxury of being able to travel back in time, albeit through words, trying to reflect and ask myself - if I were to choose again and there were no constraints, what profession would I pick?

One caveat here - if I had any inkling about my upcoming kidney disease, I would have picked medicine, nephrology precisely.

At that time, Medicine was ruled out. I hated Biology. Did I really like Engineering? What did I know about Engineering when I was not even fifteen? When I look back on those days, I really think I enjoyed English Literature and Indian History. I loved the way writers could transport you into another world simply by weaving a web of words. I was amazed at the rhythm poets would bring into their poems as if the words were made just for those lines. 

Indian History, where we covered India right from the times of the Indus Valley civilisation up to the rule of the Mughals was very fascinating. The stories of the various dynasties and how they ruled the country for centuries left a deep impression on my mind.

Even today, I love reading on these topics. However, I have added to the little exposure I got to these topics in school only informally over the years by reading articles and books on similar subjects.

I believe I would pick one of these areas if I was given a choice back in time minus constraints of finances, ‘cool quotient’ and reputation.