So I want to elaborate on this 5th element from "Mastering the Craft." I call it "The Calling." I guess there could be a better term for it, but this will suffice for now. So this 5th element encompasses both your intentional and unintentional life experiences. It's more or less a reflection on these experiences that led you to believe who you are as a person, how your goals and actions have shaped your surroundings and how your surroundings shaped you. I think it's an essential part in "Mastering the Craft" as it helps you to understand where your at and hopefully guides and motivate you to where you "should" be. I guess this is where you'll produce your best work.
Everybody has a life story of how they got to where they're now. I'll share a part of mine:
At first impression, it's a weird phenomenon, but I as reflect on it it's not so weird, well maybe a little still. So have you ever had a situation where you have met someone indirectly, like through a presentation, or more directly like through a one-on-one conversation, and your intention was to meet him/her again at a later time? Well somehow the meeting never came soon enough and then after a good period of time, and maybe out of your subconscious mind and sheer faith you guys cross path years later.
After college, I went on a self reflection/exploration stage and was deeply interested in how art could improve education as well as among other topics. During that time, I was given a chance to do educational research and was able to meet several education professors there. One professor who I had previously talked to agreed to have a second meeting with me to more or less bounce ideas off of. However, due to life reasons the meeting never took shape as soon as I would of wanted. After the research was over, I went on to do some internship, but still couldn't define what I really wanted to do in education. After my stint with some educational jobs, I decided to switch gears and went into the sciences where I have a background in. My independent exploration into education soon slowed to crawl for a period of time as I focused more on my task at work. However, about after 7 months there I started to really miss my previous side project of exploring about education and art. So then I took the initiative to be more serious about this interest and I soon went back into exploring on the side. So now it has been about a two years since I first met this professor, and I was fortunate enough that my job allowed me to have some free time and I was able to visit the university library more often to do my own research. And it soon got me thinking about the meeting I had once planned, but never had. Then on a very special occasion when I was visiting the university library I had saw him walking by. Though I didn't approach him, it led me to believe that something was in the works. It was as if something was pulling the strings for me to meet him, but more importantly it was a nudge for me to possibly take the next big leap into my interests. (It has now been about 6 months since I last saw him, but this time around I have setup a meeting with him which is this coming Friday!)
More recently in this new journey of mine, a similar event happened to me a few days ago. Again it was out of coincidence that I was able to meet an art professor that I had recognize from like 1 or 2 years ago. And out of all places the "science" library. It just so happened that I had attended an educational technology presentation and one of the speakers was her. Had I not gone I wouldn't have known her. (Her meeting with me is this coming Tueday!)
I can't explain these two events other than the fact that I was at the right place at the right time. Just maybe, maybe there is something to it. I like to believe the guy upstairs is working his magical plan on me.
So would I say this is a "calling?" I don't think so just yet, but these and among other events in my life have definitely provoke that thought. I guess the only way to know for sure is to experience it first hand. Heck, I don't even know how it will turn out, but I'm optimistic it will turn out well.
Though it's a matter of perspective my definition a of "calling" is "the gift you give to yourself and to the world."
Maybe start small with just feelings of what makes you feel alive...at least it helped me find some clarity.
On a personal note, it has been a long journey with many highs and lows. I guess these events and many before somehow shaped the circumstances of today. I can't change the past, can't explain certain events that had happened, but what I can do is learn and grow from it. :)
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