What happens when you realize you're not an athlete and you're not smart enough to be a genius? I was reading a list of memoirs and biographies with all sorts of catchy titles and hints of glorious doings. It struck me that I wasn't an athlete, wasn't ever going to be an athlete...and usually that means turning to an intellectual pursuit. But I haven't any higher ambitions there either. No NASA career appeared, certainly no one would want me calculating their rocket fuel to the moon. Math being slow and ponderous for me. I CAN do it but gee I wouldn't choose it as a regular gig!
How do we get OK with mediocrity? Is it ever OK to just....be? It's fine to advise friends. You are great the way you are. And you mean it. But to allow yourself to be average, fine, OK...just a quiet citizen in town. The idea is preposterous. What about goals, and sainthood? Fame!
Well, no I don't want to be a movie star. I like observing. I like to hope Ive been in the right place at the right time sometime in my career to help someone through a day, or an illness. But they dont write great memoirs about us everyday folks. The happy ones who say good morning, like to make brownies and have friends to dinner to discuss nothing more important than the weather. To whom petting the cat is a vital and important job every day.
What would the one paragraph book say? Im happy and there you go!
I guess I like the idea better that just because you are a small nut in the tool box doesnt mean you are unneccessary. You are in the parts manual and just becasue its dry reading doesnt mean someone wont need that part sometime..