We often find ourselves struggling with the question “why?” It applies to every minute detail of our life but more often it becomes magnified when an event unexpectedly goes against or disrupts the kind of life that we’ve been accustomed to. These events are often called challenges and how we respond to these challenges determine the quality and direction of our lives.
Everything in life has a purpose. Everything.
It is our duty to determine the purpose of things that affect us but more than that it is our mission to go beyond these events and turn it to our advantage.
When the unexplainable happens we often tend to focus on the reason behind the event and, sad to say, we get trapped on it. Thinking about the whys and not about what we can do causes emotional, mental and spiritual wear and tear which saps the life out of us. As we stay trapped on this stage, opportunities pass by our way and in the end we miserably ask ourselves questions about what could have been.
Challenges are never unavoidable. They’re a part of life and it bites deep into the very marrow of life for those who have built their lives to avoid it. Prevention is indeed better than cure but in life it also helps to be prepared.
Maurice is a man whom I’ve met a long time ago. Amiable and easy to get along with. He has this gift of making people laugh. Really laugh. He even has this skill of making you laugh at yourself, at others and at the most unfortunate events without offending anyone.
Last month, I had the privilege of meeting Maurice again. He has developed his gift to entertain people by performing at kid’s parties as a clown, magician and puppeteer.How good is he? He’s so good that you can’t tell who’s doing the ventriloquism act, Maurice or the dummy beside him (I just have to put this in.)
The first time I heard about Maurice’s foray to the entertainment scene I immediately had to ask myself these two questions: First, how did he get into the scene? Making a profession out of entertaining people is not something that you just think of doing as a career. No matter how funny and entertaining you think you are. Second, is he able to make a decent living out of it?
I soon received the answers. Right after his act, I was able to spend some time with him to ask these questions.
Maurice was a tag along for a group of puppetteers way way back. He was young and enthusiastic. One day, a church from a far away place asked them to perform for their Sunday school. The arrangement was that they would be picked up at a specific place and time to bring them to that church. But lo and behold, when Sunday came no one was there but Maurice. The pick-up vehicle was also behind schedule so when it arrived it had to leave at once to get to the place on time. Maurice was placed on a position whether to go ahead by himself or wait for his team to arrive. Waiting would mean a possible chance of missing the performance but going ahead alone may spell disaster just the same.
He decided to go ahead and the rest is history.
Fourteen years have passed since he made that decision and he’s still entertaining children with his own brand of act. He has improved and progressed a lot.
Everything has a purpose. Everything.
The question is, what will you do about it? Maurice made a solitary decision that changed his life forever. He made the decision to perform by himself because he was prepared. Years of exposure coupled with eagerness to learn finally paid off. He never knew what would eventually turn out of it but when the time came he found himself prepared for the challenge. He paid his dues and when it was time to collect he received more than he expected.
By the way, about the second question, if you want to get Maurice you have to wait because he’s booked- solid up to February of 2008.
Until next time, let’s educate our minds.
Educated Minds 