“What do you want to do with your life?” 

It’s a question we’ve all heard, starting as early as kindergarten and echoing through our junior and senior years of high school. For many of us, our answers have changed, and we no longer see being a princess or a superhero as a realistic career choice. For others, we still hold onto dreams of being a doctor, a veterinarian, or a firefighter. But for most of us, including myself, we’re still deciding. 

We all hope that whatever we end up doing is something we love. Mondays won’t be dreaded, and every day that ends won’t be seen as another “closer to retirement.” 

For three teachers at Cardinal Gibbons, Mr. J. Mike Blake, Mrs. Nancy Beale, and Mr. Malik McFarlane, that hope has become a reality. Each of them took a different path, but all arrived at the same truth: when your job reflects your passion, it becomes more than your career; it’s a calling.

From Headlines to Homework

Before Mr. Blake taught The Great Gatsby and Of Mice and Men as an English teacher, he worked for 10 years as a professional journalist. 

“I thought journalism was my passion (as a high schooler). And then 16 years later, I realized it’s not, there was more to it than that, but that’s okay,” said Mr. Blake.

Mr. Blake’s path shifted after he saw a news story about a shortage of special education teachers in his hometown of Harnett County. This struck a personal chord. 

“Both my brothers came up through Harnett County with special education teachers helping them. I found that kind of heartbreaking that they couldn’t find teachers,” said Blake.

And then it clicked. Mr. Blake had an English minor, and he realized maybe he could be the person to help.

As a journalist, teaching was something he always loved, even if he didn’t realize it. 

“I’d always taken younger writers, whether they were in high school or in college, given them opportunities and worked with them one-on-one to get better at what they wanted to do,” said Blake.

Still, this shift came with uncertainty. 

“I was really nervous going into day one. But after interacting with the students on day one, I felt at home at the front of the classroom. I knew this is where I needed to be,” said Mr. Blake.

A Lifetime of Passion

“Most days it doesn’t feel like work. It’s just fun,” said Mrs. Beale.

Mrs. Beale has been teaching Spanish for 45 years, and for most of her life, she knew this was exactly what she was meant to do.

From a young age, she had a natural talent for Spanish and truly loved learning the language. That passion only deepened during her junior year of college, when she studied abroad in Valencia, Spain. That experience solidified her desire to share the beauty of the Spanish language and culture with others, and she’s been doing exactly that ever since.

Teaching wasn’t something she discovered late in life. It was simply always there. And yet, her passion still evolved. 

“Sometimes we start out thinking our passion is one thing, and the job helps it grow into something even deeper,” said Beale.

Even as she prepares for retirement to help care for her grandchildren, the joy she found in teaching never dimmed. 

“It worked out really well for my family, too,” she added. “Passion and practicality can coexist.”

Medicine to Mentorship

Mr. McFarlane, chemistry and biotech teacher, had always planned on being a doctor. But in his last semester of his senior year in college, his plan shifted. 

“Teaching is what I actually cared about the entire time. It was about learning and then sharing that knowledge with people,” said Mr. McFarlane. 

He realized that all along, teaching was what he needed to do; that was his true passion.

It all began in college. He wanted to shadow doctors, but because of COVID restrictions, he began tutoring and eventually became a teacher’s assistant. 

“It was just super natural to me,” said McFarlane.

One of his professors reached out and asked if he ever thought about teaching, and McFarlane honestly said, “No.”

His mom was a teacher, and having seen how difficult it can be to balance school with time at home, he never considered the idea.

Now, in his third year of teaching, Mr. McFarlane can confidently say that he truly loves to teach, but he also believes passion has many layers. 

“I’m also really passionate about music,” he said. “But I don’t want to make it a job. I do it purely for joy.”

That balance between professional purpose and personal fulfillment is key to sustaining a career without losing yourself.

Advice for Students Still Searching

None of the teachers interviewed believed students need to have their futures completely figured out. In fact, they encouraged the opposite.

“It’s okay not to know,” said Mr. Blake. “I knew exactly what I wanted to do at 16, and then I changed it all at 32, and I’m happier now than ever.”

Mr. McFarlane emphasized listening to those around you. 

“Sometimes others see potential in you before you do,” he said. “Friends, mentors, professors, they might notice something you’re good at and enjoy, even if you haven’t thought about it that way.”

And Mrs. Beale? 

“Just figure out what you like, and build your life around it. The rest works itself out.”