Dear Kids,
SBK came with us to SBE’s karate practice because she had to go to a birthday party right after class let out. As we always do, SBE and I were talking about karate and what he learned that day. I mentioned that I was very happy that he found a passion in karate. I feel that that’s something I’ve always lacked…a true passion for anything. I mean, I have a bunch of hobbies and I enjoy doing lots of things, but there’s never really been anything that moves me at a subconscious level or something I’m so excited about that I could literally spend days doing it without coming up for air. I love photography, I enjoying working on my websites, and I have a great time trying to build things. But If any of them disappeared, I don’t think I’d be overly heartbroken.
So that’s why I’ve tried my best to help each of you find your passion…something that you want to work hard at for no other reason than you love it…something that you will spend hours and hours learning about so you can speak about from every angle. So far, SBR and SBK haven’t found that one thing that gives them absolute pleasure (unless you could playing on their iPods all night), but SBE, it seems that you’ve found it in karate. It’s so exciting to see you so focused in class. I forget that you’re the fun, wild boy when I watch you in, dressed in your black gi and bare feet because there is focus and determination in your eyes that I don’t see anywhere else (hopefully you teachers in school see it).
But I’m actually getting off topic here. The original point of this post was to discuss something SBK said in the car. When I said I was happy he found his passion, you retorted that karate was his talent, not his passion, and that you were still looking for your talent. We had a good discussion of the differences. I told you that a talent is something that you’re good at, a passion is something that drives you. For instance, all three of you are fairly good at drawing. You get this from Ima’s side of the family, where Saba is quite capable with a pen, and he in turn is descended from professional artists. But none of you are passionate about drawing. You all enjoy it now and again, and have fun when you do it, but you aren’t working constantly to perfect it and make yourselves better artists. None of you live, breathe, and eat art. Like I said, none of you really have a passion for art; yet, you all have a talent for drawing.
Similarly, I can’t sing to save my life. One could easily and accurately state that I have no talent for singing, but I very much enjoy it and don’t let that stop me from making “Let it Go” a duet. I have been told that what I lack in talent, I make up in passion.
I really hope that by the time you’re reading this, and , you will have found your passion, whether it’s SBE still practicing karate, or SBR baking, or SBE drawing, or something completely different that you haven’t even discovered you’re interested in yet. Truth be told, I hope I’m not gone by then and I get watch that passion come bursting through when you are talking about it or doing it.
Love,
Aba