The walls before me were decorated with many drawings of landscapes, of maps intricately designed, showcasing world-building and imagination, along with a collection of book covers that were printed in various editions throughout the years. I hadn’t known there was a museum where I would find both C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, their desks, the books they owned, and even the wardrobe! I had grabbed one of the tickets for the tour, about twenty-five of us would go on, but I had somehow not gotten the memo that we were meeting as a group before going to the Wade Center. That’s okay. As I waited for the group, I wandered around the room, examining showcases with a quiet awe.
As I came upon a wall that showed Tolkien’s creativity, I stared, almost mesmerized. A strong ache of longing pulsed inside me. This is where I belong. It felt like my heart was saying. This is what I was made for. This is what I love. I almost started crying in the middle of a museum, maybe just the overwhelm of being at a conference that revolved around writing caught up to me, but also just seeing how other authors of the past created such beautiful things was captivating and made me wish that I wasn’t so afraid to pursue what I love more fully. Before any tear fell, I noticed there was a camera directly above, staring down at me with its beady little eye. I pulled myself back together. That would have been embarrassing. They’d wonder why was this random chick shedding tears over a display? Because it’s amazing, okay?
Anyway, whether or not that sounds corny to you, I don’t know. But I can tell you that I’ve never felt that way toward math. Gross. You’re telling me there are people out there who love math (weirdos). Just kidding, we need people who like numbers, so people like me don’t have to.
But really. Here’s the question. Is there anything that makes you just come alive, even if you know others don’t feel the same? I can definitely think of some friends who would have sat through the same sessions at the conference, and their eyes would have glazed over with boredom. When I came home, a friend asked me, “What was your favorite session?” I couldn’t give an answer. Usually, there are some I like more than others, but at this conference? It was as if every single one filled a need that I had. I absorbed everything — except maybe for the one evening session where I was nearly falling asleep from being too tired. My bad.
Yet, every single workshop I’ve been to that involves stories, it’s like my heart sings. I can immerse myself in writing without being bored. Being able to create such amazing stories and worlds and all the things that come with the imagination is where I thrive.
Why did I decide to blog about this? Well, here’s the thing I’ve been pondering. I think some of us have been given gifts or talents or whatever you want to call them, but sometimes we just put them on the back burner, not trying to master skills that we’re designed to do, that come naturally to us, or have a passion for. I’m not talking about those who can’t dedicate time to learning and building on their gifts or talent because they don’t have the time or resource to do so in the stage of life, I’m talking about those of us who might know we can do something with our gifts (even if in small ways) but don’t do anything with them out of fear of failure, fear of not being good enough, fear of well “I’ll never be good as so and so, why bother”? Who cares? You’ll never get better at something if you don’t try, and give yourself the patience and grace to learn how to get better at it. If there is something that makes your heart sing, don’t even do it for others. Do it because it’s something you love to do. Do it because God gave you this ability and gift to do it. Don’t waste the gifts you’ve been given. Instead, find ways to master those talents and enjoy them!
Gettin' Real 