My bambi-lashed friend K gushed last night about how much someone she loves, loves what they do. In illuminating detail she described how he'd spent the day flying businessmen over Paris (aeroplane belly seeming to brush the heights of the Eiffel Tower), come straight home to suburbia, walked through the door and told her, simply, "I love what I do." What a wonderful anecdote. The true beauty of this tale is in the back-story. His career didn't lap-land - he had a dream, he took risks, he worked hard and eventually he got his just desserts; pleasingly, the reality of his fantasy turned out to be as sweet as brioche.
I'm happy to say that "living the dream" is a phrase I often hear from pals of mine - and it's only said quasi-ironically. They mean it and it makes me grin, whether I know them a little or a lot, whether they are journalist, student, doctor or something I don't even understand. I find it hard to comprehend those who choose vocations based on convenience or cash - or who simply (I heard this somewhere recently) - aren't picky. Hmmph. People, be picky and get happy.
Barbara Kingsolver, in her author's note for The Poisonwood Bible eloquently sums up what she's learnt through writing the novel - 'it's no use waiting for things that appear at a distance; a spirit of adventure will usually suffice.'
This includes the Eiffel Tower.
Image: K.Coman
2 comments:
I admire people who have a dream, and who work for it. It's so gratifying to see people happy.
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