Two Things

So I know two things for sure that must be done to live a fulfilling life. I think.

1. Teach yourself to do something, and do it the way you taught yourself to. This doesn't mean make up your own rules for etiquette and use it to your advantage. This means that you must find your own art, whether it be writing or cooking or kayaking or carving whistles out of a block of wood. There's nothing more satisfying than knowing that you invented your own way of doing something, and even if it appears to be the same way that someone else does it, it isn't. It isn't, because the way you percieve it and put yourself into action is completely original.

I've been thinking about this for a while - I'm always up for learning, but I'm realizing that the best kind of learning is the kind you choose to do. I've kind of been on the lookout for things I want to learn and could teach myself to do, in order to find that somewhat unique sense of personal accomplishment. Then I realized that I already have taught myself to do something - somewhere along the line, I picked up the ability to draw. I never really had much in the way of training, since art classes in school rarely spent more than a week or two on drawing (most kids would rather play with clay), but I can fly through an hour just sketching out a photograph with a pencil. Now, I promised my parents that I would draw a portrait of our family as a 50th birthday gift to both of them, and I have yet to start it. I'm not worried about it, because I know I can do it well, but I've reached the point where I'm comfortable enough with drawing to be able to accept someone else's input without altering my own interpretation. I've changed my course of action, then... to do the best I can with the time I have, then wait until I can take a class or two and get some advice, then keep going on my own project. And I'm excited about it, which is the best part.

That leads me to #2. Find something you love, and then get good at it. This could be interpreted to be similar, if not identical, to #1, but I don't think it is. This one, to me, means more that you shouldn't give up on something that makes you happy, even if it doesn't make much sense at all. If you love to garden, but you work so much that you don't have time to, then make time. If you love to be with little kids, make time to be with them, either volunteering or coaching a team or something like that. Life doesn't have to be work, work, work - if you're really smart, then you'll make what you love into a talent into a career. Those people are the happiest, hands down.

I have no idea how good I am at these two things, but they're something to think about. Now that I should have gone to sleep two hours ago in order to be well rested for another Monday, I should take off. But think about it, ya?