"You don’t find your passions, they find you."
~ Duncan Wall, The Ordinary Acrobat
~ Duncan Wall, The Ordinary Acrobat
When I was seven, I discovered the book Mirette on the Highwire. I was enchanted. Seeing the retired wirewalker Bellini practicing, young Mirette begs him to teach her. He initially refuses saying that once she begins, her feet will never be happy on the ground. She responds, “My feet are already unhappy on the ground.” In that instant my feet became unhappy on the ground as well. My
natural childish desire to climb and balance on things was now enhanced by the fantasy of tightrope walking.
Even as other childhood dreams took their turn, even as I
pursued more mature and sensible ambitions, my feet remained unhappy on the
ground. I TRIED, truly I did, to grow up, to outgrow the urge to balance on every curb, log, fence, and parking bumper. Sometimes I even succeeded for a while, but I didn't outgrow the longing, just the follow through--in public anyway.
After two years as a graduate student, I had to face the fact that academic political science research just wasn't where my heart was. As often happens, I realized there were things in my life beyond my career choices that I needed to reevaluate as well. During my introspections, that desire for balance resurfaced…and resurfaced with a strength that frankly surprised me. I gave up and gave myself permission to pursue my passion and the dream of wirewalking.
As I pursue this childhood dream, I find much to amuse,
impress, and inspire me; that is what I hope to share here.+(1024x536).jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment