Your father in law sounds like a cool guy. Like a jerk I somehow neglected to include the name of Jones’ theory. It’s called the “compromise hypothesis” in case he wished to look it up.
As for your calling, you’re already doing it, just not professionally. You’re a layman, or layperson in today’s environment of nit pickers. A curious and open mind can’t be minted in a university. There are many dullards with degrees, and many closeted “academics” who never had the opportunity to get the piece of paper. See ya.