Best Impersonation of His Own Jack o’Lantern: Cadence James, 2012.
It’s a big deal to somebody.
When I moved to Los Angeles to attend UCLA, I discovered that movies were A.Big.Deal. My fellow students talked about movies. The Los Angeles Times ran stories about movies. Broadcast news covered movies. I finally figured out that while I had always thought of films as entertainment, or art, or sometimes, magically, both, in LA movies are business. Big business.
Now it might help to know that I’m not a big film fan. (And when I say “not a big fan,” I mean “walked right by Dustin Hoffman on Sunset and didn’t recognize him.”) I would rather read a book. So all the movie-related commotion surprised me.
In hindsight, it was the movie revelation that led me to see, to really understand, a stunningly simple truth: What is trivial to me may be the defining passion of your life. Conversely, something that I would get out of bed at two a.m. and drive three hundred miles to a land without coffee to experience might lead you to shrug your shoulders. Or yawn.
Our talents are doled out just like our passions. We each have a sliver of genius somewhere within. Maybe you know exactly where your genius lies. Maybe-but-I-pray-not you’ve convinced yourself that you missed out on genius.
May I just say one thing? You have passion. You are a genius. I promise. Maybe you haven’t identified your gifts yet. Maybe you’ve just caught a tantalizing shadow of a possibility. And maybe you’re reading along and thinking I’d know by now if I had something awesome to offer. Consider:
Laura Ingalls Wilder was born in 1867. She published her first book in 1932, at age 65.
Harlan “Colonel” Sanders started promoting fried chicken at age 66.
Stan Lee was 43 before he began drawing superheroes.
Everyone is a masterpiece, every life carries the seeds of a miracle. Please don’t be discouraged if your seeds haven’t sprouted yet.
Please remember: Some of the most beautiful flowers only grow after they’ve been passed through fire.
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
2 Timothy 1:6-7 (ESV)
“Conversely, something that I would get out of bed at two a.m. and drive three hundred miles to a land without coffee to experience might lead you to shrug your shoulders”
I for one do not believe such a place exists in this world!
I’m sure it does, under the right circumstances. Like, say, the rest of the planet being in flames.
Thank you for these words of encouragement, Sheila. I love you so. Second time I’ve run across that verse from 2 Tim today, today. Power, love, and sound mind in KJV, I believe. Opening my hands to receive.
Brandee,
So happy to see you here, dear one! I need to open my hands, too. Thank you for the tender reminder. xoxo