The “’Use By’ Date”...
In the beginning, was the “Woomb-a”: the initial stage of hearing or feeling the voice, and active movements of the
“carrier” - Ah... Next, the “Ankle-biter” stage: the stage in which it is realized that an appropriate teacher is required to cultivate one’s “success” (e. g., Recitals,
scholarships, competitions). It is after these aforementioned stages that the reality of what might be called the “’Use by’ Date” begins to set in. The course of events brings self-doubt to the fore-front,
which is often unknowingly brought about by well-meaning friends and family who insist “You won’t survive... It’s a ‘cut-throat’ business”. Then, a former Instructor’s ill-placed words begin to resonate
in your mind: “It might be a good idea for you to just ‘partner-up’, and do the ‘woomb-a’ thing rather than pursue this particular career...” And finally, there are those who will just flat out splinter
your soul with the all too familiar phrase, “Why don’t you just give up, and go get a ‘REAL’ job”?
It is often safe to say that there are few who have escaped any of the formerly mentioned scenarios at one time or another. Not to worry, though! Places have already been prepared to accept and
promote those who, for whatever reason, have chosen to move on to other professional areas or genres rather than their original pursuit... Their “first love”...
“How you start is important, very important, but in the end it is how you finish that counts... The victor in the race
is not the one who dashed off swiftest but the one who leads at the finish. In the race for success, speed is less important than stamina. The sticker outlasts the sprinter in life’s race...”
~
B. C. FORBES
Conclusion:
We are not obligated to become victims of a “Cast away” society, where one is inevitably relegated to the proverbial “garbage heap”. GET UP! Get involved within your chosen "métier" and show them YOU - Who you are, and what a “sticker” is truly made of!
Illustration: Jacob GROSSMANN, Bucket Elevator, In:
The Elements of Chemical Engineering, 1906. Public Domain via
Wikipedia Commons.
