(1) a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something
(2) : an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking
(3) : an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure
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| Baby sequoias |
I hoped to have an epiphany of my goals for the New Year by now, but I only have a few and they keep dribbling in. Perhaps that is a better way to start a year than with a list of clearly defined resolutions that mostly don't get done.
While we were flying home from our annual visit to the in-laws, I started reading Chris Guillebeau's "The Art of Non-Conformity" on my new Kindle (thanks, Mom!). It's a well-written look at how to define your goals, hone in on what you want, and make a plan for achieving it. Sadly, I didn't finish the book on the airplane and have yet to pick it back up, but I know the second half of the book will be just as inspiring as the first.
Anyway, one of the major ideas I took from "The Art of Non-Conformity" is the idea of actually thinking about what you want your legacy to be. This isn't about having names on buildings (although it could be), or the amount of money you want to leave to your heirs. Your legacy is how people remember you. This is a profound question: how do I want people to remember me? What can I do of lasting impact?
The answers come more easily to some than others. My mother, for example, figured out fairly early in her college education that she wanted to teach mathematics. That vision became more and more refined so that during her post-doctural post at the University of Montana: she wanted to teach higher math in a University that would reach mostly minority students so she could help them move up into professional careers. She chose a teaching position at Fisk University in Nashville, TN, a historically black university, and has taught thousands of students over the past 40 years. Her legacy lives on in her former students who now are dentists, engineers, computer professionals, and even a few mathematics professors.
I have never had a clear vision. I have always been a whirlwind, writing, drawing, making music...I could never decide which one was my TRUE path. Lots of bad advice about "doing something practical" didn't help the situation. When I started college I thought I wanted to graduate as a journalist who had spent a year abroad in France. But I ended up majoring in International Studies, being captivated by Asian cultures, and spending 7 months in China. After graduation, I moved to Buffalo, NY and worked as a professional solicitor (fancy name for telemarketer), a file clerk at TriCo windshield wiper, and a caseworker for a day center that specialized in elderly, de-institutionalized psychiatric clients. I moved to Catonsville, MD for the purpose of going to graduate school in Ethnomusicology, which was way more fun than one is supposed to have in school (and not a bit practical). Along the way, I worked as a receptionist for a chiropractor, worked as a receptionist for a pediatric practice and then got promoted into the billing department, and taught Chinese cooking. I met a handsome young astronomer, who swept me off my feet, and when my graduate program was cut by the University, we got married and moved to England. I spent the next three years doing administrative work for a Chemistry Department, teaching intro classes on world music, playing in a Celtic band, and busking on the streets our of nearest small town. When we moved to Austin, TX, I did admin work for the Astronomy Department at the University of Texas, played in a Celtic band, sang with an early music ensemble. I discovered henna and started a small business.
That was the beginning of the unravelling of my "practical career" which had started haphazardly and ended up in a cubicle. Being a freelance henna artist was more fun and fulfilling than anything else I had done. I still did administrative jobs as they appeared, but my will to file was gone. I longed for the thrill of being my own boss and having a different schedule each day.
However, my career is not my legacy. It is only part of my legacy and how I hope to impact the world at small and large.
It did come as an epiphany, but only after much thought: I am an edutainer. I share information about different cultures through my henna art, henna-inspired art, writing and presentations. I aim to soften cultural barriers with enthusiasm, stories and designs. I strongly believe that a big part of being human is to be creative. Since many people have lost touch with their creative selves, I teach workshops on how to do henna and how simple elements build into a beautiful whole. I would like to inspire people to look outside their boundaries, connect with others from different cultures, be inspired and creative.
This is not a resolution or a goal. But from this idea of leaving a legacy, I have defined what I find important and how I want to share it. Once I know that, the goals roll forth.
What legacy to you want to leave? How will you do that?
My legacy will go down in my word, both spoken and written, starting with the blog, I suppose, as it is the first permanent record of anything I've written. In it I philosophize about everything from Harry Potter to Christmas memories to disciplining my own mind.
ReplyDeleteI am currently beginning the process of building a career in professional storytelling/stand-up comedy for adults, and my work will center around the stories of pets my family has known and loved. I've always entertained my family and friends with stories; I actively look for the them, and practice how I"m going to tell them to best advantage. I learned how to write and storytell that way by reading the James Herriot stories about his days as a country vet in Yorkshire in the 1930's. Even as a young child, I fell in love with how he built up his story to that exquisite zinger at the end. He's probably been dead for forty years, and wrote his work more like fifty or sixty years ago, yet I still get extreme pleasure from reading his words, and want to pass on the same legacy to others.
I want my work, whether it's the blog, the fiction I plan to write, the book about how to be your own mom, or the storytelling venue, to not only make people happy and able to forget their troubles for awhile, but also to gently make them think out how they want to live out their own lives.
Marly, that's a wonderful legacy! I also love James Herriot (though i haven't read his books in YEARS!) Can't wait to read your next story!
ReplyDeleteI am honored, my friend, thank you. Last night, I posted the Intro and Part 1 of my goals for 2011. My original plan was to divided them into health, business and social goals, but somehow or other, I ended up with a nine part series dealing only with my health issues! That is ridiculous, is it not? Surely you know by now that I can get mighty long-winded on any one subject, but that's pushing it, even by my standards. On the other hand, a lot of time and brain cells went into this, and I'm not about to delete some of them, just to make them shorter, so will probably end up combining two or three of them.
ReplyDeletebtw, if you like my writing style, you might also like Holly at A Lifetime of Days. She also has that James Herriot genius for the zinger, though hers is much more poetic than mine.
leaving the sort of tracks that will blow away in the wind
ReplyDeleteand perhaps a petal or two
after over fifty years on the planet
pretty sure there isn't simply one true path [for me]
still looking