Today's fortune: Your genuine talent will find its way to success.
This clearly falls into the category of a "Pep Talk" fortune. And when I asked the two women closest to me what they thought my talents were, a pep talk is exactly what I got.
My mother told me I'm a good writer and a great husband. That was very nice to hear, and there's really nothing like a compliment from your mother to brighten your day. But it's not exactly impartial. I'm sure Ted Bundy's mother would have said the same thing about her kid.
But wives, while loving, are usually a little more forthright. So I asked Jamie, "What are my talents?"
She gave a thoughtful pause, during which I sneered, "Besides loooovemakin'." She laughed quite heartily (Ouch! My pride!), but finally delivered a heartwarming answer.
Jamie included in her answer that I was a great writer, that I have a really good sense of humor, that I'm knowledgeable about a wide range of subjects, and that I'm extremely versatile. Also, I guess the fact that she's tolerated me as a spouse for more than seven years proves I'm a decent enough husband.
I'm very happy with that list. But this fortune specifically refers to my "genuine talent." Discovering which one is the most genuine could be a bit tricky.
I'd like to think writing is my most genuine talent. Up until two years ago I was able to make a living as a writer and editor in the field of journalism. I'm hoping I'll be able to do that again in the future, but this time on the fiction side of the fence (some would argue journalism is fiction... but that's a discussion for another day). But sometimes I wonder how good of a writer I really am. Many of my writer friends are still making a living doing what they love, and here I am, making widgets for Acme Corp. And I've noticed during the course of this blog that I use italics way too often.
I think versatility is near the top of the list. Today I've been pondering how to write about my own versatility, and the words were flowing through my head almost as if I'd already written them. That's because I had, way back on January 4, when the fortune cookie gods told me versatility was one of my outstanding traits. As much as the lazy side of me wants to copy and paste that fortune into today's post, I'll resist the temptation.
So let's think about knowledge. I am a lover of learning. I often think that if I were independently wealthy, I'd fill my days as a lifelong student. Jamie and I recently discussed what we'd like to do after we both retire, and one thing I mentioned is that I'd like to continue learning. Jamie referred to me today as a "sponge;" I'm able to absorb a lot of (sometimes useless) facts and retain them.
The ability to learn - which I believe is my genuine talent - is interesting, too, because that's probably what makes me a good writer, and it's what makes me versatile. Knowledge is the root of all my other talents.
How will my genuine talent find its way to success? I'm not sure yet. Maybe it's through my job. Maybe it's through this blog. The possibilities are seemingly endless.
And I still have a lot of learning to do.
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