In 1985, while working as a bookkeeper for a small manufacturing firm, my employer offered to pay my way through school if I'd major in Accounting and then stay on as their Accountant. I accepted the offer and began. I lasted about 9 months (at one of those universities for working adults where you take one class a month) before deciding that accounting had no scope for creativity (this was pre-Enron) and I was bored and feeling stifled. So I changed jobs, colleges and apartments. It was the beginning of a new life.
I declared a major in Art History, which had been my favorite course at the previous school and began taking general education classes. Working full-time it took me four years to complete about two years worth of work. I changed my major a couple of times and then just left it thinking that as I got closer to graduation I could decide. The problem I encountered was that I LIKED EVERYTHING! Art History, English, Logic, History, both world and US, Cultural Anthropology, Geography, Spanish, just everything. I would take a class, enjoy it and think "I'd like to explore this some more." (Which is one of the purposes of general ed classes.)
The same holds true today. I love so many things it is difficult to narrow it down and concentrate on just one (or two). Should I be a writer? I have two incomplete novels. Should I design clothes and sew? How about travel? My list of places to visit gets longer all the time. Should I pursue a business? I have several ideas. Should I concentrate on my goal of making a wardrobe of historic clothing representing the decades since the pilgrims landed at Plymouth? How about taking my cooking skills to the next level? And designing and building furniture? (I never can find just exactly what I want, and my husband is, after all, a shop teacher with all the tools I could need.)
Here's another tidbit. Back in the "starving student" days at BYU, we took in an exchange student from Korea. He was a fairly nice young man, except he lied about his smoking habits and was less than cooperative in certain things. Consequently I didn't like Korea or Koreans. Fast forward eight years (it seems longer ago) and Noble begins an obsession for anything Korean. At first I was skeptical and didn't want to see or hear anything. But she persisted and her enthusiasm was contagious. First it was Korean food, then K-Pop music videos, then Korean Dramas on Hulu, then teaching me words and phrases. (Of course in retrospect we can see that the Lord was preparing her for her assignment in the Air Force as a linguist.) Guess where I want to go? I just finished a Korean historical drama about a couple of their most famous painters. Fascinating!! I now have a better understanding or their art and culture. And the women's clothing is so beautiful I now want to make a hanbok.
This is the story of my adult life. I'm interested in everything. Once I dated a man of Armenian descent and took time to learn about their history, even finding a book of poetry I enjoyed so much that I copied my favorites into a journal (had to return the book to the library).
Whenever I hear someone say "bored, boring" etc. I wonder what is wrong with them. I don't have enough time to explore and experience and create all that I'm interested in. (It makes me long for servants to take care of all the mundane tasks so I can indulge in all my interests. Fat chance. *sigh*)
May you have time and energy to pursue your passions and explore this wonderful world God created for us.
No comments:
Post a Comment