“Can we look in this box?”
My daughter decided, on Mother’s Day, to explore the attic. She had found one of the boxes before, a red dress from one of my childhood dolls had drawn her to it like cotton candy at the fair. Proud of herself, she had already rescued two dolls, packed away for 30 something years, and was now on the lookout for anything else she might add to her collection. Sadly for her, she lost interest pretty quickly. What remained in the box were mostly letters and cards, along with some high school memorabilia (like my old school uniform- which caught my hubby’s eye, but that is another story). As I searched through the letters I found, stuffed between them, an old story I had written in my creative writing class in college. It brought back fond memories of that spring semester, writing outside in the California sun and being inspired by my wonderful professor, the amazing poet, Ed Kleinschmidt (now married to Frances Mayes of UNDER A TUSCAN SUN fame.) I wrote, in my last blog post, that passion comes from combining talent and interest. That semester, as I rushed to class, as I stayed up late to work on poems and stories, as I listened to published authors share their secrets, even as I received harsh feedback on my own work, I discovered that combination. And yet, it took many years for me to pursue it. Because there is one more thing that I forgot about passion… it also takes courage. Ironic then, that the story I wrote all the way back then was related to this very idea. I’ve created a new web page here to share some of my old and new work, starting with this very story (as is, no edits). I hope you enjoy. Deanne
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“People are always telling me that I sound like Cinderella.” Can you imagine any more perfect job for someone who sounds like a Disney Princess, than being a kids’ dental hygienist? What child isn’t going to listen and obey when Cinderella tells them to open wide, or floss better? I suppose she could have chosen to do voice-overs or acted as one of the princesses at Disneyland. Certainly she would have been hired. I’ve never met anyone with quite that sort of lovely, sing-songy voice (outside of a theme park). And yet… rather than the obvious, this young woman chose a dental career. In a recent program on NPR a student who felt he was a generalist without an sort of passion inspired a team of economists to model the best way to choose a career. (I know I’m Supposed to Follow my Passion. But What if I don’t Have a Passion? ) “In the end, the three economists did not advise Max to pursue some particular career path. They didn't even give very specific advice. But they did all agree that Max's lack of a passion could work to his advantage. Pursuing a passion — especially if it's a popular passion — often doesn't pay very well” (Chana Joffe-Walt – Morning Edition, May 9, 2013) Right now, as many graduates leave high school for college or college for work, the question remains, what should I do? Assuming that there is only one right answer is part of the problem. What motivates us when we are young is not necessarily the same thing that motivates us when we are older. But I disagree with the economists on NPR… I believe passion comes aligning our unique talents, the strengths that are central to us being who we are, and our interests. This passion won’t give us a career, but it will provide the inspiration, the fuel, for a well lived life. I’d love to be able to wave a magic wand to help people identify what these strengths are. But right now I am short on magic. Instead I have found it takes hard work and a willingness to try and fail at many different things. It also helps to have access to a great career center. Many now have career tools which incorporate not only what you are good at, but also what motivates and interests you. Perhaps next time I visit the dentist I will check with the hygienist to see which career counselor she used. Either they were very good at their job or she was lucky enough to be blessed with a very talented fairy godmother. Bonus Features today: You gotta hear this hilarious girl doing impressions of all the Disney Princesses. Hilarious! Which impression do you think she does best? What job should she be doing? What skill would you broadcast on YouTube? Come on.... you know you want to leave me a comment this time, so just do it! |
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About Me...Deanne WilstedLink here to Betting Jessica on Amazon.com Archives
June 2020
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