PENNIES VS. PASSION
The Process and the Purpose
I can recall the feeling I had when I woke up one Monday and dreaded heading to work. It's a visceral feeling that makes you want to just pull the covers back over your head. Have you ever had that kind of feeling — that kind of job — when you are only there for the paycheck, when there is no passion for the work or purpose in what you're doing, outside of clocking in and out?
These were hard days. I needed the work, I needed the money, and I absolutely detested the work. My first few months all I saw was difficulty — a difficult environment with difficult people (bad behavior and little accountability).
At least that's what I thought and felt until two colleagues who soon became friends leaned in to whisper a bit of wisdom. They said, "We know this is challenging for you. We can see it. What you have been given to work with is not easy; it's actually quite challenging. But we are rarely given what we cannot manage. Sometimes, though, it requires us to grow to meet the challenge. Intuitively, we think you are here to learn, to build a new muscle and skill set, to learn, to find comfort in discomfort and respect over friendliness... You are here for a purpose, and that is about you. There is something in you that needs growth, time to blossom — let it emerge naturally. Face these challenges head on, and you will be better for it; you will be better than you are."
They were right. The job was tough, and what drove me to it was a need to simply survive, not necessarily to thrive. Sometimes, circumstances bring you to this point, but it is true that there is always a purpose in the process... the process of becoming something better than yesterday...These experiences shape us, even and especially when they are the most challenging. And in these moments, we often find the real treasures when we are open to hearing them.
I was so touched and lifted by their words and ongoing support, that I dedicated a piece of art to them. I actually created an image for and from them. During this time, I found that I did, indeed, build new skills and new muscles. I learned a lot about myself. discovered a new craft, a new way of being. This was the time that the artist within me emerged. I created collections of photographs and digital textiles from the world around me. This one is entitled "Life Support," an image that represents this time of becoming, this time of support, when so much more emerged than can be imagined.